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| Cameron: I'll work with Obama to ensure Syria is top priority | Cameron: I'll work with Obama to ensure Syria is top priority |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| David Cameron is to tell Barack Obama that Britain and the US must place the Syrian conflict at the top of their list of priorities after he heard at first hand "appalling stories" of the suffering endured by refugees. | David Cameron is to tell Barack Obama that Britain and the US must place the Syrian conflict at the top of their list of priorities after he heard at first hand "appalling stories" of the suffering endured by refugees. |
| As the prime minister spoke out on the final day of his trip to the Gulf and the Middle East, the UN called on Britain and other developed countries to offer more financial support to Jordan. The kingdom, which is struggling with high levels of debt, is hosting 110,000 Syrian refugees. | As the prime minister spoke out on the final day of his trip to the Gulf and the Middle East, the UN called on Britain and other developed countries to offer more financial support to Jordan. The kingdom, which is struggling with high levels of debt, is hosting 110,000 Syrian refugees. |
| The World Food Programme, which feeds 23,000 refugees at the Za'atri camp, warned that it would run out of money on 8 December unless more donations were forthcoming. It needs an immediate $7m (£4.3m) to avoid having to borrow from other programmes. | |
| Andrew Harper, the representative of the UNHCR refugee agency, said: "The fact that Jordan has maintained an open border policy is incredible. It is just fantastic that this country, despite being situated next to Iraq, the occupied territories [can do that]. But it can only do that if it receives support. | Andrew Harper, the representative of the UNHCR refugee agency, said: "The fact that Jordan has maintained an open border policy is incredible. It is just fantastic that this country, despite being situated next to Iraq, the occupied territories [can do that]. But it can only do that if it receives support. |
| "We need the money to come in. If the international community says there is no money because of the financial crisis – I would say don't talk like that. People are spending billions of dollars on issues which are not that important. I think in the US they spent $8bn on Halloween. | "We need the money to come in. If the international community says there is no money because of the financial crisis – I would say don't talk like that. People are spending billions of dollars on issues which are not that important. I think in the US they spent $8bn on Halloween. |
| "We need to give Jordan the capacity to be prepared for what we know is coming. No one can say that more refugees are not going to come. We have had refugees cross every day for the last 12 months." | "We need to give Jordan the capacity to be prepared for what we know is coming. No one can say that more refugees are not going to come. We have had refugees cross every day for the last 12 months." |
| The UNHCR spoke out after the prime minister visited Syria's border with Jordan, where up to 500 refugees risk their lives to flee into refugee camps every day. | |
| "I wanted to hear for myself the stories of people who have been bombed and shot and blasted out of their homes in Syria by a deeply illegitimate and unpleasant regime that is raining down death and destruction on its own people," he said during a visit to the Za'atri refugee camp, which houses 23,000 Syrians. | "I wanted to hear for myself the stories of people who have been bombed and shot and blasted out of their homes in Syria by a deeply illegitimate and unpleasant regime that is raining down death and destruction on its own people," he said during a visit to the Za'atri refugee camp, which houses 23,000 Syrians. |
| The prime minister added: "It is truly horrendous to hear those stories and just redoubles my determination that now, with a newly elected American president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help Syria achieve transition. | The prime minister added: "It is truly horrendous to hear those stories and just redoubles my determination that now, with a newly elected American president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help Syria achieve transition. |
| "Right here in Jordan I'm hearing appalling stories of what is happening inside Syria and one of the first things I want to talk to Barack about is how we must do more to try to solve this crisis." | |
| Cameron travelled by helicopter to the al-Wahdah dam, which is one of the busiest crossing points from Syria. It was recently struck by Syrian shells. | Cameron travelled by helicopter to the al-Wahdah dam, which is one of the busiest crossing points from Syria. It was recently struck by Syrian shells. |
| The local Jordanian military chief told the prime minister that some refugees fleeing the violence had walked for up to 15 days. The prime minister later toured the Za'atri camp hours after 518 refugees had arrived overnight from Syria. | The local Jordanian military chief told the prime minister that some refugees fleeing the violence had walked for up to 15 days. The prime minister later toured the Za'atri camp hours after 518 refugees had arrived overnight from Syria. |
| A group of young girls, who have recently arrived at the camp, greeted the prime minister with a patriotic song. Cameron told them: "You are not just missed in Syria. All of the world wants to help you, including my country." | |
| The World Food Programme provides four rounds of bread for every refugee each day. It also provides a parcel of food, including rice and canned meat, twice a month for 5,000 families. | The World Food Programme provides four rounds of bread for every refugee each day. It also provides a parcel of food, including rice and canned meat, twice a month for 5,000 families. |
| Until last month the WFP had been cooking 30,000 meals twice a day for refugees at the camp. But this ended on 16 October when new facilities allowed the refugees to cook their own food. | Until last month the WFP had been cooking 30,000 meals twice a day for refugees at the camp. But this ended on 16 October when new facilities allowed the refugees to cook their own food. |
| "The Syrians have the greatest [cuisine] in the Middle East," Jonathan Campbell of the WFP said. "It is much better if the refugees can prepare their own food. This has helped calm down the camp." | "The Syrians have the greatest [cuisine] in the Middle East," Jonathan Campbell of the WFP said. "It is much better if the refugees can prepare their own food. This has helped calm down the camp." |
| Cameron announced an extra £14m in humanitarian aid for Syrians displaced by the conflict. Harper said: "We are happy with any support. Jordan and the British government have a very long history. We welcome this support and we would look forward to a continuation of this support as long as the refugee crisis continues. We don't know how long this is going to last." | |
| Most of the extra £14m from Britain will help some of the 1.2 million people in Syria who have been forced out of their homes. More than 360,000 Syrian refugees have registered in neighbouring countries. |