MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Manipulation and falsification of data on humanitarian situation in Syria is unacceptable, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, some of our partners tried to use the humanitarian aspect in political aims … In fact, there was deception, falsification, manipulation of data, and so on … This situation is unacceptable and I have to say that the United Nations did not present itself in the best light," Gatilov said.
On February 6, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged the UN Secretariat to conduct an internal investigation into silencing information about significant medical supplies found in Syria's Aleppo, confirmed by the Damascus authorities and several UN officials, while some non-governmental organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, White Helmets, distributed information on shortage of medicines in the city which was taken up by the UN Secretariat.
Civilians in Syria have been severely affected by the war that started in Syria in 2011. The internal conflict has claimed thousands of lives, left over 6 million people displaced and over 13 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to UN data. Russia has been providing humanitarian aid to Syria since October 2015.
Gatilov also said that the issue of Syria’s unity is not subject to any doubts.
"This issue is relevant now and is not subject to any doubts. There are no doubts in the necessity of maintaining unity, territorial integrity of Syria," Gatilov told reporters
