Despite welcoming Moscow and Kyiv’s decision to hold talks at the Belarus border, India abstains from a procedural vote in the UN Security Council to call for a rare special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. With 11 votes in favor, the resolution was passed, clearing the way for the General Assembly to convene on the matter as early as Monday. India, China, and the United Arab Emirates abstained, while Russia voted no. This will be the UN General Assembly’s 11th emergency session since 1950.
The 15-nation Security Council convened on Sunday afternoon to vote on the 193-member General Assembly’s emergency extraordinary session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
India abstains another vote just after two days
This comes just two days after Russia used its veto to thwart a UN Security Council resolution condemning its “aggression” against Ukraine. India has abstains from previous voting against Russia. Because the vote convening the UNGA session was procedural, none of the Security Council’s five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — could use their vetoes.
In his explanation of Sunday’s vote, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, said, “It is regretful that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further since the Council last convened on this topic.”
“There is no other option except to return to the path of diplomacy and communication,” he said. “We applaud both sides’ announcement today to hold talks on the Belarus border,” he said. Mr. Tirumurti stated that India remains concerned about the safety and security of Indian people stranded in Ukraine, particularly a large number of Indian students.
“The complicated and uncertain scenario at the border crossings has hampered our evacuation operations. It’s critical to keep people moving in a consistent and predictable manner. It is a pressing humanitarian issue that must be addressed right away “he stated
“We have chosen to abstain, taking into account the totality of the facts,” he stated. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, canceled his journey to Geneva for the Human Rights Council’s 49th regular session “because of the current situation in Ukraine and probable developments in the Security Council,” for the vote.
On Saturday, he met with Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, following the Security Council’s veto of the draught resolution. “On the security situation in Kyiv and the likely action he would pursue in the General Assembly,” Kyslytsya informed Shahid. Due to the worsening situation in Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has canceled his journey to Geneva for the Human Rights Council meeting. After Moscow deployed its veto, the Security Council failed to adopt the US-sponsored resolution condemning Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine on Friday evening.
India, China, and the United Arab Emirates abstained from voting on the resolution again on Friday, while 11 members of the Security Council voted in favor.
The UNSC proposal was likely to be stymied because Russia, a permanent member of the Council and the UN organ’s President for the month of February, was expected to exercise its veto. The resolution, according to Western nations, was intended to demonstrate Moscow’s isolation on the international stage as a result of its invasion and actions against Ukraine.
“We will be taking this subject to the General Assembly, where the Russian veto does not apply and the nations of the world will continue to hold Russia accountable,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said following the unsuccessful UNSC vote. While a resolution passed by the UN Security Council would have been legally binding, resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not. A vote in the United Nations’ 193-member council is emblematic of global opinion.
India is extremely troubled by events in Ukraine
Mr. Tirumurti said New Delhi is “extremely troubled” by the current turn of events in Ukraine and recommends that all efforts be made for the quick cessation of violence and hostilities in his explanation of India’s vote in the Security Council on Friday.
Mr. Tirumurti further stated that India is “extremely concerned” about the welfare and security of India’s community in Ukraine, which includes a big number of Indian students.
“Dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and problems, no matter how difficult it may seem right now. It is regrettable that the diplomatic option was abandoned. We must get back to it. India has chosen to abstain on this resolution for all of these reasons “he had stated
After Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution highlighting the “invalidity” of the referendum held in “independent Crimea.”
The Assembly had adopted a resolution titled ‘Territorial Integrity of Ukraine’ by a recorded vote of 100 in favor to 11 against, with 58 abstentions, calling on States, international organizations, and specialized agencies not to recognize any change in the status of Crimea or the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol, and to refrain from actions or dealings that could be interpreted as such. India had voted against the resolution. The General Assembly’s resolution “Uniting for Peace,” enacted in November 1950, allows for an emergency special session to be called within 24 hours of a request for one.
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