Brussels, 01/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are to go to the rebel area of Homs, Baba Amr, on Friday 2 March to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate the wounded, the ICRC announced on Thursday 1 March. The Syrian army has taken total control of the rebel district after two days of fighting against the Free Syrian Army which has announced it will be making a tactical retreat from the town. ICRC went on to say that it had received positive indications from the Syrian authorities regarding its humanitarian truce initiative.
The Syrian foreign minister also said he was willing to discuss the date for a visit to Syria by the leader of UN humanitarian operations, Valerie Amos, saying that the date suggested earlier did not suit the Syrian regime. The previous day, Amos had announced that the regime refused to allow her to go there despite her repeated requests to do so.
Earlier that day, the Human Rights Council called for a halt to violence and for humanitarian access to Syria, with the adoption of a resolution by 37 votes to 3 and 3 abstentions. The text calls on the Syrian regime to allow free, unhindered access to the UN and to humanitarian agencies to allow them to make a complete assessment of what is required in Homs and in the other regions. It condemns the crackdown on anti-government protestors, human rights activists and journalists. It also underlines the UN's concern about the lack of access to food, basic healthcare and fuel.
After a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, said that the European Parliament should not rule out any possibility from Qatari proposals, including that of arming the Syrian opposition. (CG/transl.jl)