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UN official: Syria has withdrawn controversial property law

GENEVA -- A UN humanitarian aid official said Thursday that Syria's government has withdrawn a controversial law that allowed for authorities to seize property left behind by civilians who fled the country's civil war, calling it a good sign that "diplomacy can win -- even in Syria."

 

Jan Egeland said he was told of the decision by Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

 

Egeland, also said Assad's government has agreed to allow convoys of aid to enter the desolate Rukban area near Syria's border with Jordan. He said the UN and its partners haven't gotten access since January to the area where up to 50,000 civilians have been stuck for months, calling it one of Syria's most "desperate places."

 

Egeland, who heads aid issues in the office of UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura but whose day job is leading the Norwegian Refugee Council, also confirmed he will leave the UN post in November. He spoke a day after de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he himself is leaving for "personal" reasons.

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.18.18, 18:12