ICRC chief tours Syria's Daraa, assesses humanitarian needs

President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Jakob Kellenberger has toured the southern Syrian province of Daraa to assess the humanitarian needs, ICRC spokesman Saleh Dabbakeh said on Wednesday. Dabbakeh told Xinhua by phone that two truckloads of humanitarian relief aid have accompanied the ICRC chief's mission. Kellenberger flew in Tuesday on a two-day visit aimed at convincing the conflict-stricken country's leaders to give aid workers more access to restive areas across Syria. During his visit, Kellenberger held talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, head of the Syrian Red Crescent Abdul- Rahman Attar, Syrian Interior Minister Maj-Gen Mohamad al-Shaar and Health Minister Dr. Wael al-Halki. Foreign Minister Moallem reiterated to Kellenberger Syria's willingness to provide what is necessary for the success of the ICRC mission in coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, according to a foreign ministry statement. During his meeting with the interior ministry, Kellenberger expressed his hope that the Syrian government would give the Red Cross mission access to Syrian prisons to help create better conditions for prisoners. Kellenberger indicated that the Syrian authorities had permitted the Red Cross delegation to visit the Damascus Central Prison last June and offered all-out facilitation, expressing hopes that such visits would be repeated with the coordination of the Syrian Red Crescent "in order to ensure the best possible humanitarian conditions for the detainees."