Mustafa Çağlayan
February 16, 2016•Update: February 16, 2016
NEW YORK
Venezuela's UN envoy said Tuesday that the Security Council was concerned about recent Turkish shelling of PYD/PKK targets in northern Syria.
Rafael Ramirez, who holds the council's February presidency, spoke to reporters following closed-door discussions on the cross-border shelling.
The meeting, which followed consultations on Yemen, was requested by Russia, a permanent member of the council.
"The member [sic] of the Security Council expressed their [sic] concern about the Turkey's attack in the north of Syrian territory," he said. "We receive [sic] ... a letter from the Syrian government, expresses the concern about this violation, and all member [sic] of the Security Council are [sic] agreed to asking for the Turkey's [sic] to comply with the international law".
Asked if all the 15 members of the council agreed on the statement, Ramirez said "Yes, it's on different levels of concern, as you know, but everybody's agreed".
But Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters that the meeting was an attempt by Russia to change the subject from Syria.
"I can understand why countries might want to change the subject and focus on Yemen or focus on Turkey. But we really need to be focusing on Syria," Rycroft said prior to the meeting.
The council session followed Turkish shelling of PYD and PKK positions in northern Syria for three consecutive days in retaliation to artillery fire from PYD forces based around Azaz town, located in Aleppo’s northern countryside.
The PYD is the Syrian branch of the terrorist-declared PKK, which has since 1984 targeted Turkish security forces and civilians.
The meeting also came a day after suspected Russian missile attacks on at least six hospitals killed nearly 50 civilians including children in Aleppo and Idlib.
Venezuela and Russia are allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a conflict that has left more than 250,000 victims dead and made the country the world's single largest source of refugees and displaced persons, according to UN figures.
