The 128th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Recalling the resolution on "Inter-Parliamentary Union initiative for an immediate halt to the bloodshed and human rights violations in Syria, and the need to ensure access to humanitarian aid for all persons in need and to support implementation of all relevant Arab League and United Nations resolutions and peace efforts" adopted by consensus by the 126th IPU Assembly (Kampala, 2012),

Stressing the importance of respecting the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, the principles of the UN Charter, the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the objectives of the IPU as set forth in Article 1 of its Statutes,

Expressing its deep concern over the situation in Syria and its impact on civilians in general and on women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities in particular,

Considering the psychological trauma from which Syrian refugees are suffering, in particular after losing many of their family members and property,

Conscious of the growing need to take in refugees in neighbouring countries, both in refugee camps and elsewhere, which entails higher costs,

Cognizant of the increasing economic, security, social, health and educational pressures on recipient countries, the majority of which already have scarce resources,

Recalling the pledge made by donor countries at their most recent conference in Kuwait to provide support in the amount of US$ 1.5 billion to the relief agencies involved in assisting Syrian refugees in the region; and noting that the amount actually received does not exceed US$ 200 million according to a statement by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees,

Taking note of the significant difference between the international assistance that should be provided in the light of the burden borne by recipient countries and the funds actually received,

Acknowledging with deep appreciation the efforts of neighbouring countries, including Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, to keep their borders open and provide refuge for those fleeing the violence, despite the difficult organizational and security problems associated with this task,

1. Calls on all parliamentarians and IPU Member Parliaments to bring pressure to bear on their governments to provide whatever financial and material support they can to these refugees;
2. Urges the donor countries which met at the most recent conference in Kuwait to fulfil their obligation to provide financial support of US$ 1.5 billion;
3. Calls on all countries to provide refugees in recipient countries with shelter and accommodation to protect them against the cold in winter and the heat in summer;
4. Appeals to relief agencies to provide sanitation facilities, all necessary medical care (consultation, hospital care, obstetric care and medical equipment) and sufficient quantities of foodstuffs for Syrian refugees, most of whom are women, children, elderly persons or persons with disabilities, and to try to provide schooling for the children in the camps;
5. Urges countries to provide financial support to recipient countries to ease the pressure on their financial resources, which are already scarce in many of them, including Jordan;
6. Calls on Syria’s neighbours to ensure, with the support of relief agencies, that refugees on their territories are accommodated in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol;
7. Also calls on the United Nations to assist recipient countries in preventing the cross-border circulation of weapons so as to guarantee the safety of refugees;
8. Expresses its concern that, given current circumstances surrounding the influx of refugees, some recipient countries may be forced to close their borders, which will further complicate the humanitarian situation in the region;
9. Urges all parties in Syria to put an end to all forms of violence immediately, fully and unconditionally; and calls on all relevant regional and international parties to find ways of helping Syria to reach a peaceful solution to its internal conflict, while safeguarding its territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the safety, security and human rights of its citizens.

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^* Reservations with regard to the use of the word "security" in the title of the resolution were expressed by the delegations of Algeria, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Mexico, Peru, Russian Federation, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic and Uruguay. In addition, the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic expressed reservations on several parts of the resolution which it felt violated the sovereignty of Syria, and the delegation of Cuba expressed a reservation on the first preambular paragraph.

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