Syria Walks Out of U.N. Human Rights Debate

Syria walked out of a U.N. debate on the human rights situation in the violence-wracked country on Tuesday, while its ally Russia urged Damascus to cooperate with efforts to allow in humanitarian aid.

Syria has been rocked by 11 months of anti-regime demonstrations and a military crackdown against a growing protest and rebel movement that has left more than 7,600 people dead, according to opposition activists.

Moscow, which triggered Western outrage by vetoing U.N. Security Council resolutions on the crisis, called on Damascus to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross as it tries to negotiate a daily two-hour ceasefire to help civilians caught up in the fighting.

The Syrian representative to the United Nations, Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, walked out of an especially convened meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, telling the assembly: "We declare our withdrawal from this sterile discussion."

He said the aim of the debate was to "fuel the flames of terrorism" in his country and that a simple measure to help the Syrian people was "to stop inciting sectarianism and providing arms," and putting the Syrian people against one another.

U.S. ambassador to the HRC Eileen Donahoe described the comments as "delusional".

"Anyone who heard the Syrian ambassador should be aware that his comments were borderline out of touch with reality," she told media on the fringes of the meeting.

"I think it's a reflection to some extent of what's going on with the Assad regime itself," she added, citing the move to hold a "farcical" referendum in the midst of a "humanitarian crisis of their own making."

"I think the Syrian ambassador's comments were equally delusional," said Donahoe.

Several HRC members called for the urgent debate to discuss reports of human rights abuses in Syria and the deteriorating humanitarian situation.

A resolution filed by Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey calling for access for relief agencies was to be discussed after the meeting, although a U.N. spokeswoman said it was not clear if this would happen on Tuesday.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said fighting must end so help can be delivered to civilians caught up in regime blockades in the cities of Homs and Hama which have left them without food and water.

"There must be an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to end the fighting and bombardments," said Pillay.

The U.N. rights chief said that since mid-February she had received reports of a "rapidly deteriorating" humanitarian situation and serious rights abuses, including a massive campaign of arrests by military and security forces.

"The Syrian army has reportedly used tanks, mortars, rockets and artillery to cordon off cities, and shelled densely populated neighborhoods in what appears to be an indiscriminate attack on civilian areas," said Pillay.

"The crisis has exacerbated pre-existing high levels of poverty and unemployment. The humanitarian situation is dire."

Pillay also reiterated her view that the situation in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Before walking out of the debate, the Syrian envoy said he was not pretending that the human rights situation in his country was "perfect".

He said that services were lacking but blamed armed groups which he said were responsible for attacking hospitals, health centers and ambulances.

"We are convinced that the real aim (of the debate) is to cover up for the violence and murder perpetrated by armed groups against innocent civilians," he said.

France reacted to the Syrian walkout calling it "another illustration -- added to so many other dramatic examples -- of the Syrian regime's deliberate will to choose the option of violence and the pursuit of repression ... This will strengthen a bit more the isolation of the regime in Damascus," said French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero.

Russia urged Syria to cooperate with the ICRC which is trying to negotiate a daily two-hour ceasefire.

"It is important that the Syrian government cooperates with the ICRC," Russia's deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov told the meeting.

Russia boycotted a "Friends of Syria" meeting in Tunis on Friday after arguing that its Arab and Western participants were unfairly blaming one side of an "internal conflict".

The resolution set for discussion by the HRC calls on President Bashar al-Assad's regime to "permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services to civilians affected by the violence, especially in Homs, Deraa, Zabadani and other areas under siege by the Syrian security forces."

The draft document denounces "the lack of access to basic food, medicine and fuel, as well as threats and acts of violence to medical staff, patients and facilities, in some areas."