UN Security Council Thursday adopted a press statement calling on the Syrian authorities to allow "immediate, full and unimpeded" humanitarian access.

The Security Council called upon the Syrian authorities to " allow immediate, full and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in need of assistance, in accordance with international law and guiding principles of humanitarian assistance," said the press statement, read out by British Ambassdar to the UN Mark Lyall Grant, whose country holds this month's Security Council presidency.

The 15-member council expressed their "deep disappointment" that Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, was not granted authorization to visit Syria, calling upon the Syrian authorities to grant her "immediate and unhindered access," said the statement.

Amos has been attempting to enter Syria at the request of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who asked her to visit the country and evaluate the humanitarian situation there.

On Wednesday, Amos said she was "deeply disappointed" that she has not yet been able to visit Syria to assess the humanitarian situation and meet with some of the country's top officials.

The council also called upon all parties in Syria, in particular the Syrian authorities, to cooperate fully with the United Nations and relevant humanitarian organizations to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance and allow evacuation of the wounded from affected areas, it said.

In the press statement, the council deplored "the rapidly deteriorating" humanitarian situation, in particular the growing number of affected civilians, the lack of safe access to adequate medical services, and food shortages, particularly in areas affected by fighting and violence such as Homs, Hama, Deraa, Idlib.

Since the unrest broke out in Syria last March, the number of casualties in the conflict has been rising steadily amid unrelenting clashes and fights between government forces and opposition fighters.

The United Nations recently put the death toll in the Syrian unrest at 6,000, while Damascus says that more than 2,000 army and security personnel have been killed during the 11-months turmoil and blamed the bloodshed on armed groups backed by foreign powers.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2012)