Syrian Crisis: New Zealand Sends $2.6 Million in Aid, President Assad Agrees to Comply with UN Resolution (VIDEO)

Source: Youtube/Syriansonutube

New Zealand has committed to an additional $2.6 million in emergency aid to the victims of the Syrian crisis. The country's Foreign Minister Murray McCully said that $604,000 would be given to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), while $2 million will help support humanitarian relief efforts in Syria and its neighbouring countries.

The announcement of New Zealand's additional aid came after Prime Minister John Key remarked bluntly on the Syrian crisis at the UN General Assembly last week.

Foreign Minister McCully said the UN and the OPCW will be spearheading efforts to confiscate Syria's chemical weapons stockpile under the agreement proposed by Russia and the United States.

New Zealand's monetary contribution to the OPCW fund for Syria can help in pushing the agreement forward. Mr McCully said the humanitarian funding will support Red Cross in bringing relief to victims in Syria. Some of the funds will also go to the World Food Programme to help provide the needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan.

The additional $2.6 million brings up the total emergency aid of New Zealand to Syria to $7.46 million.

Prime Minister John Key has previously said that he is open to give ore funding if necessary. However, it was highly unlikely that New Zealand will send personnel to provide assistance in dealing with Syria's chemical weapons.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to comply with the UN resolution to surrender the country's chemical weapons and agreed to their destruction.

In a unanimous vote, the United Nations Security Council has decided to shut down Syria's chemical weapons program in a breakthrough move that marked the end of the Council's paralysis since the beginning of March 2011 when the Syrian conflict began.

President Assad spoke to Italy's RAI News 24 TV, he said he will respect his commitment to eliminate his country's chemical weapons program. He said it is in the history of Syria to comply with "every treaty we sign."