For the fourth time at the UN General Assembly this year, India abstained on a resolution critical of Russia.
On this occasion, the abstention occurred at a time when the main political body of the United Nations condemned the annexation of four territories in eastern Ukraine after a unilateral referendum.
The resolution was adopted with 143 votes in favor and five against, including Russia. India, China and 33 other countries abstained, while 10 countries, including Iran, did not cast any votes.
It is the fourth time the UN General Assembly has voted and passed a resolution denouncing Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.
Following the vote, India said that abstention was the only possible course as the draft resolution did not address many concerns, without elaborating. “There are other pressing issues at stake, some of which have not been adequately addressed in the resolution voted on today. Our decision to abstain is consistent with our well-considered national position,” said India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj.
He stated that as developing countries grapple with the economic fallout from the Ukraine war, it was essential that “the voice of the global south be heard and its legitimate concerns duly addressed.”
“Therefore, we must not initiate measures that further complicate a struggling world economy,” Kamboj said.
He reiterated that the world order is based on the principles of “international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all States,” and that it must be maintained “without exception.”
Kamboj called for the peace talks to resume soon: “Dialogue is the only answer to resolve differences and disputes, however daunting it may seem at the moment. The path to peace requires that we keep all channels of diplomacy open.”
Noting that the resolution would not serve to cool things down, he said that India looked forward to early peace talks leading to a ceasefire and resolution of the conflict. “India stands ready to support all efforts towards de-escalation,” Kamboj said, after hitting the abstain button.
Under the title “Defense of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”, the resolution stated that the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporozhie were under “temporary military control of the Russian Federation, as a result of aggression, in violation of the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In addition, it asks all member states not to recognize the annexation by Russia and demands that Moscow reverse its decisions.
In addition, the resolution welcomes and “expresses its strong support” for the continued efforts of the Secretary General and member states to de-escalate the current situation in search of peace through dialogue, negotiation and mediation.
Last month, Russia announced the annexation of four regions of Ukraine after organizing “referendums”. This prompted the West to introduce a draft resolution in the Security Council, which Russia vetoed.
With Russia vetoing any unfavorable resolution in the UN Security Council, the 193-member General Assembly has become the key platform for submitting resolutions critical of Moscow on Ukraine.
After the invasion, the first resolution against Russian “aggression” was adopted on March 2 with 141 votes in favour, five against and 35 abstentions. Three weeks later, the UNGA voted again along a similar line, calling for the protection of civilians and accusing Russia of creating a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The second resolution was approved with a margin of 140 votes in favor, five against and 38 abstentions.
Noting that the resolution would not serve to cool things down, he said that India looked forward to early peace talks leading to a ceasefire.
In April, the UNGA met again to vote on a resolution suspending Russia from the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council. Although the resolution was approved, the number of countries that voted in favor fell sharply to 93. Instead, more than half of the general assembly voted or abstained: abstentions skyrocketed to 58, while negative votes rose to 24.
The margin of the vote was a reflection of the perception in many countries that the move to expel Russia from the UNHRC was premature, while much of the global south worried that it would be forced to take sides in a European war.
As the emergency session began on Monday, Albania, one of the co-sponsors, preempted Russia’s move and proposed a recorded vote to decide on the draft resolution. It passed with 107 votes in favour, with India also casting a favorable vote.
Russia then tried to have the decision overturned and called for a secret ballot, but failed to get UNGA approval.
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India has previously voted on procedural issues against Russia, but has always abstained on resolutions condemning Moscow.
Before Wednesday’s vote, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, claimed that developing countries had been coerced into voting through economic “blackmail” by the West.
He also claimed that the resolution was “politicized and openly provocative”, adding that it “could destroy all efforts for a diplomatic solution to the crisis”.
China abstained on Wednesday because it did not believe the resolution was helpful, said China’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Geng Shuang.
Russia then tried to have the decision overturned and called for a secret ballot, but failed to get UNGA approval.
“Any measure adopted by the General Assembly must lead to the de-escalation of the situation, the prompt resumption of dialogue and the promotion of a political solution to this crisis,” he said.
The jump in support figures for Wednesday’s resolution – compared to March and even the 2014 resolution on Crimea – was also a reflection of a concerted diplomatic campaign by the West. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a virtual meeting Tuesday with diplomats from more than 100 countries.
Article republished from The Wire as part of an agreement between both parties to share content. Link to original article:https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-abstains-unga-resolution-russia-condemn
