Foreign Minister Westerwelle: Humanitarian access in Syria must be permitted without ifs and buts

On behalf of Foreign Minister Westerwelle, the Federal Government Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office will today hand over to the President of the Syrian Red Crescent ambulances and logistic equipment worth 650,000 euros. The handover is taking place in cooperation with the German Red Cross.

In this connection, Foreign Minister Westerwelle issued the following statement:

> “We stand side by side with the Syrian people. Together with the German Red Cross, we are lending support to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and offering practical assistance to injured persons.

> We call for an end to the violence in Syria, once and for all. In particular, humanitarian access in Syria must be permitted without ifs and buts.”

As part of his visit to Germany, the President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent is holding consultations today at the Federal Foreign Office on humanitarian assistance for Syria. Germany is currently making available aid funds in Syria and neighbouring countries to the tune of 7.9 million euros.

Moreover, the German Government is also working to have injured Syrians hospitalized in Germany. To that end, it remains in close contact with the Syrian community in Germany. German hospitals, as well as German and Syrian citizens, are committed to alleviating the suffering of the victims of violence in Syria. The Federal Foreign Office supports that commitment.