Earlier in the day, the Reuters news agency reported that several ISSG members, including the United States, which is an ISSG co-chair, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and France, sent a letter demanding that the UN Security Council take action to ensure aid convoys reach the people in Syria, including in besieged areas.
"Russia, as an ISSG co-chair, is extremely against the letter which was sent to the UN Security Council. We consider this approach counterproductive and regret the negative consequences to which this campaign will lead within the framework of the task force on humanitarian issues," the source said.
According to the diplomat, Russia always supported the peaceful political resolution of the Syrian crisis and cooperated with the Syrian authorities on humanitarian issues, as well as topics of ceasefire and countering terrorism.
"It is very sad that this letter was sent behind the back of one of the ISSG co-chairs, therefore violating the procedures which were adopted at the Munich and Vienna ISSG meetings. This letter runs counter to the spirit of the task force on humanitarian issues and creates an unhealthy atmosphere within the framework of the two ISSG groups. This may result in a split in the task force on humanitarian issues," the source added.
The war in Syria has raged for six years, leaving an estimated 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 6 million displaced inside the country, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
