Agreement on Russia-Ukraine Settlement May Require Approval By UNSC Resolution - Russian Diplomat
06:42 GMT 14.03.2022 (Updated: 07:40 GMT 14.03.2022)
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The fourth round of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis is scheduled for 14 March.
Moscow does not rule out that a possible agreement on the settlement between Russia and Ukraine will require approval by a UN Security Council resolution, Pyotr Ilyichev, the head of the Russian foreign ministry's international organizations department, said.
"At the moment, when the parties have not yet reached specific agreements, it is premature to talk about the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that would officially fix them. Although it would not be worth excluding such a development," Ilyichev said.
Though the Minsk agreements were approved by UN Security Council Resolution 2202, "this did not affect their implementation by the Ukrainian side in any way," the diplomat noted.
"Ukraine had indeed engaged in years-long sabotage of its direct obligations under the Minsk package of measures, despite countless rounds of negotiations and calls for their implementation. As we have repeatedly stated, a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbass was possible subject to the strict implementation of the Minsk agreements by Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk," he said.
Since the moment the Minsk agreements were signed, the Ukrainian authorities have openly declared their "insignificance," the diplomat said, adding that Kiev did not want to fulfill them, categorically refusing to have a direct dialogue with Donbass.
"This has led to the fact that the ... [Minsk agreements] have actually become invalid. We do not see any prerequisites for their revival," Ilyichev said.
The Minsk agreements on the Donbass settlement have become invalid, but it is now unrealistic to talk about adopting a document on the termination of Resolution 2202 in the UN Security Council, Pyotr Ilyichev added.
"As for terminating the Security Council Resolution 2202, which approved the Minsk agreements, this requires the adoption of a new document by the UN Security Council. Given the current situation, such a step seems unrealistic to us at this stage," Ilyichev said.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Minsk agreements had been killed by Kiev's actions long before Moscow's recognition of the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk republics.
Russia supports the idea that it is necessary to move the UN headquarters from New York to a neutral country, this would make the organization's work less politicized, Potr Ilyichev stressed.
"We welcome the idea of moving the UN headquarters to a neutral state. Such a step would make it possible to remove unnecessary tension from the complex process of searching for collective answers to the global challenges of our time. In addition, our work would become much less politicized than it is now," Ilyichev said.
According to the agreement between the United Nations and the US government of June 26, 1947, on the location of the UN headquarters, its seat may be transferred from the headquarters area, which is New York, only by the organization's decision, the diplomat recalled.
"Its adoption requires the consent of all or at least the majority of the UN member states, whose mobilization is currently unrealistic, in particular, due to the significant financial costs of such a step. The fact that the capital reconstruction of the secretariat building was completed in 2014 ... is not in favor of the initiative as well," Ilyichev added.
Russia demands more persistent action from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to resolve the problems caused by Washington's non-constructive line, including issuing visas to Russian diplomats, the head of the Russian foreign ministry's international organizations department said.
"For our part, we actively oppose the non-constructive line of the Americans by regularly raising this issue at meetings of the relevant specialized bodies, in particular, in the General Assembly Committee on Relations with the Host Country, as well as in the main committees of the UN General Assembly. We demand more persistent actions from the UN secretary general in order to solve the accumulated problems," Ilyichev said when asked about Russian diplomats' expulsion and visa issues.
Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy told Sputnik in February that Guterres does not rule out launching an arbitration procedure to resolve the issue of the United States failing on numerous occasions to grant visas to diplomats at the UN headquarters building in New York.
Last week, Russian diplomats expelled from the United Nations by Washington over alleged espionage left New York with their families. UN Secretary General spokesman Stephane Dujarric also said the United States had decided to expel a Russian employee of the UN Secretariat. Moscow pledged to retaliate.
Last week, Russian diplomats expelled from the United Nations by Washington over alleged espionage left New York with their families. UN Secretary General spokesman Stephane Dujarric also said the United States had decided to expel a Russian employee of the UN Secretariat. Moscow pledged to retaliate.
In the early hours of 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "de-Nazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted - the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbass, "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbass, "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."
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