国务卿安东尼·布林肯在联合国安理会就叙利亚人道主义局势举行的简报与磋商会上发表讲话
美国国务院
发言人办公室
华盛顿哥伦比亚特区（Washington, D.C.）
2021年3月29日
国务卿布林肯：（续前）感谢你，巴尔弗医生（Dr. Ballour）在极度艰难的条件下为你的叙利亚同胞救死扶伤的义举，同时也感谢你进行坚强、果敢的努力，将叙利亚人民的经历告诉全世界——同时积极要求他们的权利得到尊重。
 这个月恰逢叙利亚起义十周年。经过十年使叙利亚人民遭遇巨大灾难的冲突后，目前的局势依然严峻。我们获悉，估计现已有1,340万人——每3名叙利亚人中就有2人需要得到人道主义援助。叙利亚60%的人口面临饥饿的严重危险。
安理会每一个月都举行会议讨论叙利亚利的人道主义局势。各种惊人的数字不绝于耳。在这个过程中，很容易忽视其中每一个数字背后包含的事实是人类个体鲜活的生命。
最近 一名叙利亚母亲告诉新闻记者，她为喂养3个嗷嗷待哺的孩子已经心力交瘁，后来必须做出选择。她说，“我不得不出售我的头发或者身体。”她出售自己的头发得到55美元。两天后，她以泪洗面为自己感到羞愧。她需要用这些钱为3个孩子购买燃料油、食品和衣服。这仅仅是一位母亲，一个叙利亚家庭。请注意，现在叙利亚有1,240万人的粮食没有保障，你们可以开始认识到到这场冲突造成了多大的人类灾难。
你们听到巴尔弗说，期待安理会带来希望，期待安理会带来希望。请想一想，我们都有自己的席位，我们说这些话，我们代表我们的国家。但是我们怎么就无法在我们心底里发现共同的人性，切实采取有意义的行动有所作为呢？怎么会如此呢？我自己有2名年幼的孩子。我猜想本理事会很多成员都有年幼的第二代或第三代子女。我们今天听到和讨论有关叙利亚儿童的情况，我在想到这些孩子的时候也会想到自己的孩子。我要求你们也做同样的事：想想你们自己的孩子，挖掘自己的内心，然后告诉你们的同事。尽管存在分歧，我们仍必须有所作为，为帮助人们找到某种方式采取行动。这就是我们的责任。如果不能做到这一点就是我们的耻辱。
与此同时，勇敢的人士甘冒生命的危险努力帮助继续成为袭击目标的叙利亚人民。3月21日，阿萨德（Assad）政权轰炸了阿勒颇（Aleppo）西部的阿塔勒布外科医院（Al-Atareb Surgical Hospital），据报道7人被害，我们获悉其中有2名有表亲关系的儿童，一名10岁，另一名12岁。这场袭击还导致15人受伤，其中有一名医生被弹片扎伤了眼睛，导致他永远失明。
这所医院已经在2014年遭到该政权的轰炸。我们听到洛科克医生（Dr. Lowcock）说，这所医院不得不转入地下，如果再次遭到轰炸，希望可以保障人们的安全。
但是洞穴并不能保障他们的安全。这所医院的坐标已经与联合国为首的消除冲突机制分享——我们听说再一次被分享——所以该政权已经知道医院的确切位置。阿塔勒布医院现在已经关闭，此前每一个月曾平均收治3,650名患者。在阿萨德政权轰炸医院的同一天，俄罗斯在唯一联合国授权的叙利亚过境运输点附近发动多次空袭，导致一名平民丧生，人道主义援助物资被毁，使为叙利亚人民运送援助物资的最有效的过境运输点陷入危险。
今天举行的会议以叙利亚人道主义危机为重点，同时也需要注意，消除这个灾难的唯一长期方案是，按照联合国安理会2254号决议（UN Security Council Resolution 2254）实现政治解决和永久解决冲突的方案。美国愿与我们的盟国和伙伴共同努力，继续支持联合国特使佩德森（Pedersen）为达到这个目标进行的工作。
但是，即使在为这个解决方案进行努力之际，我们仍不可忽视叙利亚人民的紧迫需求。我们今天已经听到无可争辩的有关陈述。很显然，这些需求，包括获得足够的食品和基本的医疗物资，无法通过阿萨德政权得到满足。所以，我们面临的问题仍然是：安理会能够为帮助叙利亚命悬一线的数百万人做些什么？
短期而言，我们知道答案，而且很简单：我们必须保证叙利亚人获得他们需要的人道主义援助。目前，为了使西北和东北地区的大多数人获得大多数援助物资，效率最高和效果最好的途径是通过各地的过境运输点。但是，安理会最近允许两个过境运输点的授权到期停用：西北部的巴卜萨拉姆（Bab al-Salaam），曾用于向约400万叙利亚人运送援助物资；以及东北部的阿亚罗比亚（al-Yaroubia），以往曾为叙利亚另130万人运送援助物资。
我们有责任保障叙利亚人获得挽救生命的援助，不论他们生活在哪里。为了实现这个目标，安理会当时不为这两个人道主义过境运输点给予重新授权实在不合情理。
今天这些过境运输点仍然被关闭也不合情理。这些过境运输点为更经济、更安全和更有效地运送援助物资提供了通道。在没有这些通道的情况下，运送援助物资的成本就会更高、危险更大、效率则更差。这还意味着，唯一剩余的过境运输点可因任何原因受阻——如上星期遭到俄罗斯军队的轰炸——援助工作可能被完全中止。
减少过境运输点也意味着有更多的联合国援助车队被迫要通过多条控制线，并为此要与各种武装反对派团体交涉，加长旅程。这会使援助物品在抵达叙利亚人民之前更可能受到耽搁或受到阻拦，并且更有可能使援助人员成为攻击目标。
有些人可能说，重新授权让人道援助过境和提供跨境援助会对叙利亚政权的主权造成某种侵犯。但是，主权从来不是为了保证任何政府有权让人民挨饿，不让人民得到救生医药，轰炸医院，或者践踏公民的任何其他人权。
本安理会的其他成员也许会说 ——就像他们在过去做的那样，我们应该更多依靠跨区协助为叙利亚人民送去援助，他们说这样更有效率。但是我们已经看到，依靠跨区协助使送到使叙利亚人民手中的援助减少——而不是增多。
不批准过境运输点显然不符合叙利亚人民的利益。它不是联合国专家或人道救援专家的建议。这与人道、中立、公道和独立的人道主义原则毫不相干。正如古特雷斯（Guterres）秘书长所说，为达到所有有需要的叙利亚人，“更大规模的跨区和跨境援助运输必不可少”。
向叙利亚难民施加压力，要他们返回叙利亚，包括返回在当局控制下的地区，也不符合叙利亚人民的利益，许多人害怕会因逃离而遭受报复，受到阿萨德安全部队的任意拘留、酷刑或甚至被杀害。我们与联合国的立场一致，即难民遣返必须是自愿的、知情的，并且应保证所涉人员的安全与尊严，否则就不应遣返。
当前的方式不合理，没有效率，站不住脚。它直接给叙利亚人民造成了更大苦难。
因此，让我提出一个不同方式：让我们重新授权开放两处被关闭的过境运输点，重新授权仍开放的一个过境点。让我们有更多的通道，而不是更少的通道，向叙利亚人民运送食品和药品。让我们做到用任何一种最安全、最快速的方法使援助抵达正在挨饿和因为缺少医药而奄奄一息的人们。让我们不要对叙利亚难民施加回国压力，直至他们感到自己能够安全和有尊严地这样做。
让我们简单明了地提出一个问题，以指导我们有关重新授权过境运输的决定以及向叙利亚人民提供援助的所有问题：什么将能最大地减轻叙利亚儿童、妇女和男人们的苦难？
如果我们提出这个问题，摆在本理事会前面的工作就是明了的：重新授权有关的过境运输点，停止助长阻碍援助，允许人道主义者和人道主义援助不受阻碍地进入，以便尽快达及需要救助的叙利亚人，不论他们身处哪里。
不受阻碍地达及叙利亚人比以往任何时候都更重要——不仅因为这场人道主义危机日益严重，而且因为COVID-19构成的威胁。
本理事会的每个成员都在各自的国家目睹了这场疫情的惨痛影响——它所夺去的生命，以及它如何摧毁着生计和经济。今天的叙利亚为这种病毒的扩散提供着最理想的条件。当一个人推撞着挤进排队领面包的拥挤的人群时，保持社交距离是不可能做到的。很多叙利亚人甚至没有洗手所需的可靠的净水和肥皂供给。在叙利亚，大约每10,000名平民才有一名叙利亚医生。幸存下来的医院依然遭到该政权及其支持者的袭击，就像我们在阿塔勒布（Al-Atareb）医院所看到的。
在叙利亚的医生、护士和医卫工作者已经因COVID-19而以令人惊愕的速度染病并死亡；而且这种情况只会恶化。也许在叙利亚最易于感染的人莫过于数千名正被无端地关押在该政权非人的监狱中的人——很多人是因为敢于大声反对其种种暴行——以及因这场持续的冲突而在国内流离失所的670万名叙利亚人。
安理会应对着如此众多的错综复杂的挑战。但这并非其中之一。在叙利亚的人民的生命取决于获得紧急援助。我们必须竭尽全力为将援助送达给他们开辟途径——打开通道，而不是关闭它们。
本理事会的成员都有一项工作要做。重新授权全部3条向叙利亚人民提供人道主义援助的过境运输点。停止参与——关闭这些通道的袭击——或为其制造借口，停止攻击人道主义救援人员以及他们试图帮助的叙利亚平民。停止将数百万叙利亚人的生命所依赖的人道主义援助变成一个政治问题，期待安理会带来希望。期待安理会带来希望。期待安理会带来希望。
让我们结束这种等待。让我们采取行动。让我们帮助叙利亚人民。谢谢你们。

Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the UN Security Council Briefing and Consultations on the Humanitarian Situation in Syria
REMARKS
SECRETARY OF STATENTONY J. BLINKEN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
SECRETARY BLINKEN:  (In progress) and thank you, Dr. Ballour, both for the lifesaving service you performed for your fellow Syrians amidst the most harrowing circumstances, and for your powerful, determined efforts to bring the experiences of the Syrian people to the world – and to push for their rights to be respected.
This month marks the tenth anniversary of the Syrian uprising.  After a decade of conflict in which the Syrian people have suffered immeasurably, the situation is as grave as ever.  As we’ve heard, an estimated 13.4 million people – two in every three Syrians – are in need of humanitarian assistance.  Sixty percent of Syrians are at serious risk of going hungry.
Every month, the Security Council gathers to discuss the humanitarian situation in Syria, and these massive number are rattled off.  In the process, it’s all too easy to lose sight of the fact that contained in each one of these numbers are the lives of individual human beings.
Like the Syrian mother who recently told a reporter she was so desperate to feed her three children that she faced a choice, and I quote: “I had to sell my hair or my body,” end quote.  She sold her hair for $55.  For two days after, she wept with shame.  But with that money, she bought heating oil and food and clothes for her three kids.  That’s one mother – for one Syrian family.  Now remember that 12.4 million people in Syria are food insecure, and you begin to sense the magnitude of human suffering in this conflict.
You heard Dr. Ballour say waiting on the Security Council with hope, waiting on the Security Council with hope.  Look, we all sit in these chairs, we speak these words, we represent our countries.  But how is it possible that we can’t find in our hearts the common humanity to actually take meaningful action to do something?  How is that possible?  I have two young children of my own.  I suspect many members of this council have young children or grandchildren.  I think of my kids when I think of the Syrian children we’ve heard talked about today.  I ask you to do the same thing: Think of yours, look into your hearts, and then talk to your colleagues.  And despite our differences, we have to find a way to do something to take action to help people.  That is our responsibility, and shame on us if we don’t meet it.
Meanwhile, the brave people who put their lives on the line to try to help the Syrian people continue to be targeted.  On March 21st, the Assad regime shelled the Al-Atareb Surgical Hospital in western Aleppo, reportedly killing seven people, including, as we heard, two children – cousins 10 and 12 years old.  The attack also wounded 15 people, including a doctor who had a piece of shrapnel embedded in his eye.  He’ll never see again.
The hospital had been bombed by the regime before in 2014 and, as we heard from Dr. Lowcock, had to be rebuilt underground, in hopes that doing so would keep people safe if it were targeted again.
Well, the cave could not keep them safe.  The hospital’s coordinates had been shared – again, as we heard – with the UN-led deconfliction mechanism, meaning the regime knew exactly where it was.  Al-Atareb hospital, which is now closed, had previously seen an average of 3,650 people every month.  On the same day the Assad regime struck the hospital, Russian airstrikes struck near the only UN-authorized border crossing with Syria, killing a civilian, destroying humanitarian supplies, putting the most effective way of getting aid to the Syrian people at risk.
While today’s session is focused on the humanitarian crisis in Syria, it’s important to note that the only long-term solution to this suffering is through a political settlement and permanent resolution to the conflict, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254.  Together with our allies and partners, the United States continues to support UN Special Envoy Pedersen’s efforts toward this end.
But even as we work to that solution, we can’t lose sight of the urgent needs of the Syrian people that we’ve heard described so eloquently today.  It’s clear that these needs – including having enough to eat and access to essential medicine – are not going to be met by the Assad regime.  So, again, the question before us is: What can the Security Council do to help the millions of Syrians whose lives hang in the balance?
In the short term, we know the answer and it’s simple:  We must ensure Syrians get the humanitarian aid they need.  At present, the most efficient and effective way to get the most aid to the most people in the northwest and northeast is through border crossings.  Yet the Security Council has recently allowed the authorization for two border crossings to lapse: Bab al-Salaam in the northwest, which used to deliver aid to approximately 4 million Syrians; and al-Yaroubia in the northeast, which brought aid to another 1.3 million Syrians.
We have a responsibility to ensure Syrians have access to lifesaving assistance, no matter where they live.  Given that goal, there was no good reason at the time for the council’s failure to reauthorize these two humanitarian crossings.
And there is no good reason the crossings remain closed today.  The crossings provided a path for delivering aid that was more economical, safer, more efficient.  In their absence, delivering aid is costlier, more perilous, less efficient.  It also means that when the sole remaining crossing becomes inaccessible for any reason – as happened last week when it was bombed by Russian forces – aid may be halted altogether.
The reduction of border crossings also means that more UN aid convoys are forced to cross multiple lines of control, negotiating access with various armed opposition groups, traveling longer distances.  All of which leaves more ways aid can be slowed or stopped before it gets to the Syrian people, and more ways aid workers can themselves be targeted.
Now, some may argue that reauthorizing humanitarian crossings and providing cross-border aid would in some way infringe on the sovereignty of the Syrian regime.   But sovereignty was never intended to ensure the right of any government to starve people, deprive them of lifesaving medicine, bomb hospitals, or commit any other human rights abuse against citizens.
Others on this council may argue, as they have in the past, that we should rely more on cross-line assistance to deliver aid to people in Syria – claiming it’s more efficient.  But as we’ve seen, relying more on cross-line assistance has resulted in less aid – not more – getting to the Syrian people.
The failure to authorize border crossings is clearly not in the interest of the Syrian people.  It’s not what is recommended by UN experts or humanitarian experts.  And it has nothing to do with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.  As Secretary-General Guterres has said, and I quote, “Intensified cross-line and cross-border aid deliveries are essential” – end quote – to reach all Syrians in need.
It’s also not in the interest of the Syrian people to pressure Syrian refugees to return to Syria, including to regime-held areas, where many fear they will be arbitrary detained, tortured, or even killed by Assad’s security forces in retaliation for fleeing.  We agree with the UN that refugee returns must be voluntary, well-informed, and should ensure the safety and dignity of the people involved – or else they should not happen.
The current approach is unjustified, ineffective, indefensible.  It is directly resulting in the increased suffering of the Syrian people.
So let me propose a different approach:  Let’s reauthorize both border crossings that have been closed, and reauthorize the one border crossing that remains open.  Let’s give ourselves more pathways, rather than fewer pathways, to deliver food and medicine to the Syrian people.  Let’s commit to using whatever pathway is the safest, quickest way to reach people who are going hungry and dying for need of medicine.  And let’s not pressure Syrian refugees to return until they feel they can do so in safety and in dignity.
Let’s make the simple question that guides our decision on reauthorizing cross-border crossings, and on all questions of delivering aid to people in Syria: What will do the most to reduce the suffering of Syrian children, women, and men?
If we ask that question, the work before this council is simple:  Reauthorize the crossings, stop enabling the obstruction of aid, and allow humanitarians and humanitarian aid unhindered access, so they can reach Syrians in need wherever they are, as quickly as possible.
Unhindered access to Syrians is more important than ever – not only because of the growing humanitarian crisis, but also because of the threat posed by COVID-19.
Every member of this council has witnessed in their own country the devastating impact of this pandemic – the lives it takes, how it ravages livelihoods and economies.  Syria today provides the ideal conditions for the virus to spread.  Social distancing is impossible when one is jostling for a spot in a crowded bread line.  Many Syrians do not even have a reliable supply of clean water and soap to wash their hands. There is approximately one Syrian doctor for every 10,000 civilians in Syria.  The hospitals that remain are still being attacked by the regime and its backers, as we saw with the Al-Atareb hospital.
Already, doctors, nurses, health workers in Syria are getting sick and dying at alarming rates due to COVID-19; that’s only going to get worse.  And perhaps none in Syria are more vulnerable than the thousands who are being unjustifiably detained in the regime’s inhumane prisons – many for daring to speak out against its atrocities – and the 6.7 million Syrians who have been internally displaced by the ongoing conflict.
The Security Council takes up so many challenges that are complicated.  This is not one of them. The lives of people in Syria depend on getting urgent help.  We have to do everything in our power to create ways for that aid to get to them – to open pathways, not to close them.
The members of this council have a job to do.  Reauthorize all three border crossings for humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.  Stop taking part in – or making excuses for – attacks that close these pathways, and stop targeting humanitarian aid workers and the Syrian civilians they are trying to help.  Stop making humanitarian assistance, on which millions of Syrians’ lives depends, a political issue, waiting in hope for the Security Council.  Waiting in hope for the Security Council.  Waiting in hope for the Security Council.
Let’s end the wait.  Let’s take action.  Let’s help people in Syria.  Thank you.