"Air drops...remains an option if land deliveries do not go through," a U.N. official told reporters
GENEVA, June 2 (Reuters) - A plan to airlift supplies to besieged towns in Syria is being finalised but Russia and others are concerned about the safety of aid workers, and Damascus government approval is needed for the risky operation, a senior U.N. official said on Thursday.
"Air drops...remains an option if land deliveries do not go through," Ramzy E. Ramzy, U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, told reporters after the U.N. humanitarian task force met a day after the passing of a June 1 target for starting air drops.
"I don't think it's imminent but I think the process that will lead to air drops has already started," Ramzy said. "It is not just the Russians who are concerned about security, it is an issue that has to be resolved in a way that allows this to go ahead."
Jan Egeland, chairman of the U.N. humanitarian task force, said a convoy carrying food to the besieged town of Daraya, planned for Friday, may be delayed but there were "clear indications" it would go within days.
(Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay; writing by Stephanie Nebehay)
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