Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Syria under US-imposed sanctions which are suffocating the people in the country.

In an interview with Sputnik, the top Syrian diplomat said the international community should step up its assistance to Syria.

“Absolutely, yes, because the sanctions imposed by the United States are suffocating the Syrian people”, Mekdad told Sputnik on Wednesday when asked whether the international community should step up humanitarian aid to Syria.

“The level of poverty has increased and the lack of medicine has increased. Remarkably, we don’t find even [the] main medicine to treat the people who are suffering from cancer, from other diseases, even from coronavirus [COVID-19]”.

The top Syrian diplomat said he will hold “a very good meeting” with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the General Assembly and will convey that Damascus is anticipating better relations with the UN system.

“We shall ask for the preservation of the [UN] Charter and its main principles and we shall tell him [Guterres] how much we look forward [to] good and better relations with the UN system”.

Mekdad also noted he is planning to meet with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to discuss relations and coordination between the two countries.

“We [Mekdad and Lavrov] will discuss the excellent relations between Russia and Syria. We will discuss coordination between the two countries. We will discuss the overall situation in the region”, Mekdad said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Syrian diplomat said there are no plans yet for a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Source: Agencies