Precondition on Humanitarian Aid in Syrian Talks 'Wrong, Immoral'

Russian envoy to UN Vitaly Churkin said that the intra-Syrian talks must continue without any preconditions.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Attempts to use deliveries of humanitarian aid as a precondition for the resumption of intra-Syrian proximity talks is wrong and immoral, Russian envoy to UN Vitaly Churkin said Friday.

"It is wrong and immoral to say that the real [intra-Syrian] talks will not start until all humanitarian issues have been resolved," Churkin said following a closed-doors UN Security Council meeting on situation in Syria.

"Real talks must continue [ without any preconditions]," Churkin stressed, expressing concern that some UNSC members attempted again to shift the focus of attention to a single issue of airdrops of humanitarian aid to besieged areas in war-torn Syria.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with numerous opposition factions and Islamic extremist groups fighting the Syrian Arab Army and other government forces, seeking to topple President Bashar Assad. The conflict has led to a humanitarian disaster in the country.

A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire has halted fighting in some of the regions, but a US-led coalition and a separate campaign by Russia continue to target areas held by the extremists keeping relief supplies beyond reach.