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Russia spurns UN aid summit

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AFP United Nations
Last Updated : May 13 2016 | 10:22 PM IST
Russia has told the United Nations that it will not endorse the decisions of the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, in the latest setback for the international gathering.
The May 23-24 summit, which has been three years in the making, aims to rethink the global aid strategy and draw a closer link between humanitarian assistance and development.
In a letter to the UN secretariat obtained by AFP on today, Russia criticized preparations and expressed "great disappointment" that its input on the so-called core commitments of the summit was ignored.
Moscow complained that the package of decisions was hastily put together and contains "a series of far-reaching obligations, which are now being imposed as 'take it or leave it,' with no room for member-states to reflect their individual positions and observations."
"Given all these alarming circumstances, our delegation is not eager to sign up to any of the commitments," said the letter.
Moscow is sending a low-level delegation to the event.

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Russia's refusal to endorse the summit outcome comes amid tensions between Russia and Turkey over the war in Syria, which worsened after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on the Syrian border in November.
Moscow is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Turkey is a key supporter of the rebel opposition.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric rejected Russia's criticism, saying that "the summit is the result of three years of consultations, including with member-states, which have repeatedly stressed inclusiveness."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "trusts that Russia will fully play its part" in the summit, he added.
The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said it will not take part in the summit and dismissed its objectives altogether, calling it a "fig leaf of good intentions."
Some 50 world leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel are expected to attend what is being billed as the first-ever global aid summit.
In all, 110 countries have confirmed that they will send delegations.

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First Published: May 13 2016 | 10:22 PM IST

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