Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said:

The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) agreed last month that if humanitarian aid was still being denied to any area by 1 June, the UN should launch a programme for emergency deliveries by air.

On the day of that deadline, the Asad regime has cynically allowed limited amounts of aid into Darayya and Muadhamiya but it has failed to deliver the widespread humanitarian access called for by the international community. While air drops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas.

Countries with influence over the Asad regime such as Russia and Iran must now ensure that these air operations can proceed in a safe and secure manner.

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