Syria reluctant to allow international assistance into the country
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Valerie Amos speaking to reporters in Damascus, Syria
Syrian authorities are reluctant to allow more international non-governmental organization to provide humanitarian assistance to the needy people in the conflict-torn country.
That's what has been said by the United Nations humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos who concluded her three-day visit to Syria and Lebanon on Thursday.
Ms. Amos told reporters in the Syrian capital, Damascus that as many as two and a half million people are in need of assistance in Syria.
She said there was agreement to allow national NGOs to do more but she found resistance when it came to allowing more international NGOs into the country.
"The Government has a concern that assistance will reach, in their terms, armed groups and terrorists. This was raised with me in every single conversation that I had with a Government minister. I have assured ministers that this is not how the international ngo-humanitarian community works." (Duration: 23″)
