Australia Urges World 'Not to Neglect' Syria Crisis
Australia on Thursday urged the world "not to neglect" the conflict in Syria, where thousands have been killed and many more have fled to neighboring countries.
"We urge the world not to neglect this crisis even for a moment," Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr told a joint news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh in Amman.
Carr, who said he planned to visit Syrian refugees in northern Jordan, called for aiding the kingdom, which is hosting 145,000 Syrians.
"I appeal to the world to take notice not just of the crisis in Syria, and not just of the refugee crisis, but of the burden to Jordan that this crisis represents," Australia's top diplomat told reporters.
He said his country has donated $16.8 million for the Syrian refugees as well as those facing conflict inside Syria, where more than 20,000 people have been killed since March 2011, according to human rights activists.
More than 276,000 Syrians have fled their country, mainly to Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.
Carr also met with King Abdullah II for talks on Syria, saying Australia is ready to assist Jordan in hosting the refugees, a palace statement said.
"Jordan is deeply concerned about the escalation and increasing violence in Syria," it quoted the king as telling Carr.
"The violence will have dangerous repercussions for the entire region. It is important to find a political solution to end the crisis and bloodshed and help the Syrian people avoid more suffering."
Amman on Sunday opened the first official Syrian refugee camp in the north of the country, which can take up to 120,000 people, according to Judeh.
"Despite hard economic conditions, we continue to offer our services to the Syrian refugees," Judeh said at the news conference.
At dawn Thursday, 600 refugees came under Syrian army fire as they fled to Jordan, where the army responded to allow them to cross, according to a top local aid charity.
"Such incidents occur continuously," Judeh said.
"It is a humanitarian duty that our armed forces fulfill by protecting our borders and those who seek refuge in our country."
Source: Agence France Presse
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