ICRC releases statement on Damascus talks

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Thursday issued a statement about recent talks held in Damascus between ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger and senior Syrian officials. The statement said: The Syrian government agreed to an expanded presence of the ICRC in the country. "This means that we will have to rapidly build up our human resources and logistical capacity in Syria," said Kellenberger. "This agreement is a sign of trust in the ICRC's independent and neutral humanitarian action," said Kellenberger. "It should enable the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to meet increased humanitarian needs." A procedure on how to trigger the humanitarian pause requested by the ICRC for areas affected by fighting was also agreed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the ICRC. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates agreed on procedures for visits to places of detention. The agreement will be put into practice with an ICRC visit to people held in Aleppo Central Prison. Detention issues were also discussed with the minister of the interior, Major-General Mohammad al-Shaar. Discussions with the minister of health, Dr Wael al-Halki, focused entirely on the right of the wounded and the sick to have access to medical care and on the obligation of all involved in the violence to respect medical personnel, facilities and transports. ICRC spokesperson Sean Maguire said Kellenberger's visit to Damascus had three key objectives: to expand humanitarian action; to gain access to detainees and to secure agreement to a daily pause in fighting, where needed. "The Syrian authorities have agreed that the ICRC can soon visit Aleppo Central Prison. The Syrian government has agreed to ICRC standard working modalities (procedures) regarding detention; the visit process is to start soon," said Maguire. "The expansion of ICRC presence and activities in Syria will begin end April/early May. It involves the expansion of humanitarian activities within the country to include other areas where there is need and where assistance might be required. It also means an increase in human and logistical resources. This is necessary to respond to the increasing demand and needs of the population in various parts of the country, particularly in the areas of unrest. The expansion also involves increasing support to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to strengthen its capacity and expand its operations," he continued. "With regard to the daily ceasefire, there is now a trigger mechanism that would activate the humanitarian pause when the need arises. In areas where there is a need to evacuate the sick and the wounded and deliver humanitarian assistance, the ICRC will ask the foreign ministry to activate the pause (ceasefire). While this was agreed with the Syrian government during the ICRC president's visit it has not yet been tested on the ground," said the spokesperson.