Netherlands demands respect for UN resolutions in Syria

UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok demanded here Tuesday the need to reaffirm international norms and enforce relevant resolutions on Syrian crisis.

The minister, whose country holds the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presidency, made the announcement when referring to a photo album featuring 48 Syrian children - all seven years old - by a Dutch photographer.

"Images of children affected by war should leave no one unmoved. We should at least have one thing in common: the belief that protecting children should come first," he said.

The UNSC has adopted Resolution 2401 four weeks ago, said Blok, which urged warring parties to lift sieges in populated area of Syria immediately, as well as demanded they grant unimpeded humanitarian aid access to those in acute need.

"We call on all parties to the Syrian conflict, including the Syrian regime, Russia, Iran, Turkey and armed opposition groups, to respect and implement our Council's resolutions," Blok said.

Blok said the international community has "expressed our determination to prevent conflict ... and where conflict cannot be prevented, we have agreed to regulate the conduct of warfare," he adding that the minimum standard of human decency in warfare needs to be protected, but "such protection is lacking" now.

"We urge all states to increase their support for the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, which aims to ensure that information about serious crimes is collected, analyzed and preserved for future prosecutions," Blok said.

He added that for any credible, stable and lasting peace in Syria, the current culture of impunity must end and all those guilty of crimes be brought to justice. Enditem