NNA - The U.N. humanitarian chief bluntly told the Security Council on Friday that its recent appeal for humanitarian access in Syria has made little difference and implored the world body to exert more pressure on the warring parties to allow the delivery of aid to millions of people trapped in the conflict, reported the Washington Post.


The message from Valerie Amos further laid bare how ineffective the Security Council has been in addressing Syria?s 2 ½-year-old civil war amid divisions between the United States and other Western powers, which support some of the rebel groups, and Russia, which supports the regime of President Bashar Assad.


Diplomats had characterized the humanitarian appeal three weeks ago as a hopeful step toward overcoming the paralysis. It came immediately after the council?s first binding resolution on Syria that ordered the elimination of its chemical weapons.


Unlike the weapons resolution, which threatened consequences for noncompliance, the humanitarian statement was nonbinding. Amos said the Syrian regime and rebel groups have largely ignored it.


"As we deliberate, people continue to die unnecessarily," said Amos, the undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs. "I call upon the members of the council to exert influence and take the necessary action to stop this brutality and violence."


She said the U.N. has not been able to reach 2.5 million people trapped in besieged areas, many of whom have not been reached for nearly a year.


The U.S. and British ambassadors said they were horrified by Amos? presentation and that council members should urgently consider further action.


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