QA-9, 30 April 2014

The fact that Turkey has done more than its share in the humanitarian field since the beginning of the Syrian crisis has been registered by the international community and the UN. In the framework of its responsibilities stemming from international law, Turkey continues its open-door policy towards all Syrians without discrimination in terms of religious, sectarian and ethnic backgrounds, meets the basic needs of Syrians under our temporary protection and enables humanitarian assistance to reach Syria through its humanitarian zero-point border operations. Turkey has also encouraged the international community in a consistent and resolute manner to adopt a binding UN Security Council Resolution for humanitarian access into Syria.

Finally, on 22 February 2014, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2139. The said Resolution demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for UN humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict lines and across borders, in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people in need through the most direct routes. The UN, in the framework of Resolution 2139, requested from Turkey on 6 March 2014 to allow the passage of a cross-border humanitarian convoy into Syria through the Nusaybin/Kamışlı border gate. Turkey, as a responsible member of the international community and in line with its humanitarian commitments, responded positively to the UN request. In this framework, the passage of the UN cross-border humanitarian convoy consisting of 78 trucks through the Nusaybin/Kamışlı border gate was realized between 20 and 25 March 2014.

However, Turkey, in conformity with humanitarian principles and the provisions of Resolution 2139, expects the UN to urgently plan and execute cross-border humanitarian operations into Syria through all border gates, including the Cilvegözü/Bab al-Hawa and Öncüpınar/Bab al-Salam border gates, and continues its demarches with the UN and concerned countries to this end.