A rare United Nations document stressed that the reconstruction of Syria should hinge of “serious and comprehensive political transition.” The two-page document, obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday, said that UN employees should not cooperate in Syria with individuals linked to war crimes. The document was compiled after reports emerged about the UN office in Damascus’ alleged “lenient” approach in dealing with Syrian figures. It also came as a response to claims that “development” can act as a substitute to “construction” in the war-torn country. Reports had also said that UN officials in Syria had paid visits to regional countries to persuade non-government organizations to cooperate and coordinate efforts with Damascus. The document however listed strict standards and principles that employees at UN agencies should adhere to. Among them is the stipulation that the UN would be ready to “facilitate reconstruction” in Syria once serious and comprehensive political transition is achieved. This transition should be negotiated by regime and opposition figures, it stressed. The principles should be respected in order to ensure that support and aid is received by those in need in all Syrian regions, while also referring to resolutions 2254, 2118 and the Geneva declaration. The document highlighted the “very pressing” humanitarian demands in Syria, underlining the need to deliver aid through the most direct ways. According to UN data, out of 22 million Syrians, 13.8 million need pressing aid, 5.5 million have been registered in UN refugee agency offices in the region, while 6.1 million people are displaced in Syria. Since 2011, the European Union has granted $12 billion in humanitarian aid, while the US gave $7.4 billion. On reconstruction efforts, the UN document said that negotiations on this issue should be carried out with concerned governments, while taking into consideration the complicated political and legal aspects of this file. The UN will be prepared to take part in the reconstruction once the political transition is achieved, it reiterated. To that end, it called on its employees to respect the principles of neutrality, integrity and independence. Priority in delivering aid should be given to those most in need and they should be provided in a fair and non-politicized way, it stressed after it received complaints from non-government organizations that the aid was not being delivered justly. This should be applied to all Syrian regions, without discrimination, demanded the UN document.