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| Syrian City to Receive Aid, Officials Say | Syrian City to Receive Aid, Officials Say |
| (7 months later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The Syrian government appeared to take a small step to ease the plight of civilians by agreeing to provide humanitarian access to the city of Homs, which has been under siege for over a year, American and United Nations officials said on Thursday. | |
| Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, said that the agreement was supposed to begin on Friday and was to include a “local humanitarian pause” in the fighting. | Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, said that the agreement was supposed to begin on Friday and was to include a “local humanitarian pause” in the fighting. |
| Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the United Nations secretary general, said that food, medicine and other aid supplies were on hand at the outskirts of Homs and ready to be moved “as soon as the green light was given by the parties for safe passage.” | Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the United Nations secretary general, said that food, medicine and other aid supplies were on hand at the outskirts of Homs and ready to be moved “as soon as the green light was given by the parties for safe passage.” |
| Yet even as the State Department welcomed reports by Syria’s state media that a deal had been reached, American officials expressed concern that President Bashar al-Assad might not follow through or might abuse the terms of the agreement. | Yet even as the State Department welcomed reports by Syria’s state media that a deal had been reached, American officials expressed concern that President Bashar al-Assad might not follow through or might abuse the terms of the agreement. |
| About 2,500 Syrians are believed to be trapped in the old city of Homs, and about 500 to 700 of them want to be evacuated, including 80 who are said to be injured, Western diplomats said. | About 2,500 Syrians are believed to be trapped in the old city of Homs, and about 500 to 700 of them want to be evacuated, including 80 who are said to be injured, Western diplomats said. |
| The Assad government has not said how much food, medicine or other assistance from the United Nations and other international relief organizations can be delivered or for how long. | The Assad government has not said how much food, medicine or other assistance from the United Nations and other international relief organizations can be delivered or for how long. |
| Nor has the government offered assurances it would not apprehend some of the people who are evacuated. The Syrian opposition had asked that injured people who were evacuated be exempt from detention and be allowed to travel to hospitals in other Middle Eastern nations, diplomats said, adding that the government rejected that request. | Nor has the government offered assurances it would not apprehend some of the people who are evacuated. The Syrian opposition had asked that injured people who were evacuated be exempt from detention and be allowed to travel to hospitals in other Middle Eastern nations, diplomats said, adding that the government rejected that request. |
| Samantha Power, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said, “We would note that in Moadamiyeh, where an evacuation was undertaken not long ago — several weeks ago — there are still men who were evacuated as part of that official evacuation who, in our view anyway, have not been heard from since.” | Samantha Power, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said, “We would note that in Moadamiyeh, where an evacuation was undertaken not long ago — several weeks ago — there are still men who were evacuated as part of that official evacuation who, in our view anyway, have not been heard from since.” |
| Ms. Power urged that a system be established to “ascertain the welfare” of any evacuees in Homs. But it was not clear if such procedures would be put in place or whether international observers would be present. | Ms. Power urged that a system be established to “ascertain the welfare” of any evacuees in Homs. But it was not clear if such procedures would be put in place or whether international observers would be present. |
| In discussing the agreement, diplomats said that they were responding to official Syria news media reports and reports from opposition officials, adding that the United Nations had yet to receive a text of the agreement. | In discussing the agreement, diplomats said that they were responding to official Syria news media reports and reports from opposition officials, adding that the United Nations had yet to receive a text of the agreement. |
| A broader problem is that the agreement covers only a fraction of the 200,000 to 240,000 people who are cut off from food and medicine in areas that have been blocked by Mr. Assad’s forces — a practice that the United States and its partners have described as a “starve or surrender” strategy. Security Council members circulated a draft resolution that would compel the warring parties to let aid into the country, reiterating a statement issued by the Council late last year. Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the need for a resolution. | A broader problem is that the agreement covers only a fraction of the 200,000 to 240,000 people who are cut off from food and medicine in areas that have been blocked by Mr. Assad’s forces — a practice that the United States and its partners have described as a “starve or surrender” strategy. Security Council members circulated a draft resolution that would compel the warring parties to let aid into the country, reiterating a statement issued by the Council late last year. Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the need for a resolution. |
| Frederic C. Hof, a former State Department official, said of the deal on Homs: “Seeing is believing.” He added: “If lives are saved in this case, great. But there’s no substitute for unchallenged U.N. access everywhere in Syria.” | Frederic C. Hof, a former State Department official, said of the deal on Homs: “Seeing is believing.” He added: “If lives are saved in this case, great. But there’s no substitute for unchallenged U.N. access everywhere in Syria.” |
| The reports of a deal came as the Security Council issued a statement expressing concern about “the slow pace” of the Syrian government’s efforts to fulfill the agreement that would eliminate its chemical arsenal. | The reports of a deal came as the Security Council issued a statement expressing concern about “the slow pace” of the Syrian government’s efforts to fulfill the agreement that would eliminate its chemical arsenal. |
| American officials have complained that Syria is stalling and that only 4 percent of Syria’s most dangerous chemical agents and precursor chemicals had been taken to the port of Latakia to be shipped for destruction. | American officials have complained that Syria is stalling and that only 4 percent of Syria’s most dangerous chemical agents and precursor chemicals had been taken to the port of Latakia to be shipped for destruction. |
| But the United Nations diplomat who is coordinating the distribution of Syria’s chemical arsenal, Sigrid Kaag, told reporters on Thursday the delay did not seem to be deliberate and was “not insurmountable.” | But the United Nations diplomat who is coordinating the distribution of Syria’s chemical arsenal, Sigrid Kaag, told reporters on Thursday the delay did not seem to be deliberate and was “not insurmountable.” |
| In Syria, the war continued to rage. After days of intensive air bombardment of the city of Aleppo, Syrian Islamist rebel groups attacked the city’s central prison, antigovernment activists said. | In Syria, the war continued to rage. After days of intensive air bombardment of the city of Aleppo, Syrian Islamist rebel groups attacked the city’s central prison, antigovernment activists said. |
| The attack began at an entrance to the prison with a suicide car bombing by a fighter from the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda, the Nusra Front, activists said. While clashes continued into the night, it was unclear how much of the complex the rebels had seized and whether they had freed any of the thousands of prisoners believed to be inside. | The attack began at an entrance to the prison with a suicide car bombing by a fighter from the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda, the Nusra Front, activists said. While clashes continued into the night, it was unclear how much of the complex the rebels had seized and whether they had freed any of the thousands of prisoners believed to be inside. |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through contacts in Syria, said that rebels had seized parts of the prison and freed hundreds of prisoners amid clashes with government forces. At least 20 government soldiers, 16 rebels and five prisoners were killed, the Observatory said. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict from Britain through contacts in Syria, said that rebels had seized parts of the prison and freed hundreds of prisoners amid clashes with government forces. At least 20 government soldiers, 16 rebels and five prisoners were killed, the Observatory said. |
| The state news agency, SANA, said government forces had repelled an attack on the prison by “armed terrorist gangs,” the government term for the rebels. | The state news agency, SANA, said government forces had repelled an attack on the prison by “armed terrorist gangs,” the government term for the rebels. |
| Meanwhile, dozens of philanthropists, former diplomats and human rights activists released a letter, timed to coincide with the opening on Friday of the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, urging that country’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, to support a binding resolution on humanitarian aid. | Meanwhile, dozens of philanthropists, former diplomats and human rights activists released a letter, timed to coincide with the opening on Friday of the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, urging that country’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, to support a binding resolution on humanitarian aid. |