Russia takes over rotating presidency of UN Security Council

Demonstrations are expected to take place this Saturday, April 1, and a boycott proposal has been sent to the ambassadors of the member countries of the Security Council (illustration image). © AP - John Minchillo

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3 min

Some are upset that the country that has invaded Ukraine and whose leader is under an international arrest warrant, can assume the rotating presidency of the executive body of the United Nations.

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The citizen movement Atlas speaks of "funny April Fool's Day" and laments that a country like Russia that violated the UN charter and the principles of international law by invading Ukraine has the authorization to take over the rotating presidency of the Security Council for a month, reports our correspondent in New York, Carrie Nooten. Ukraine had called it a "bad joke". Russia succeeds Mozambique as head of the UN executive body.

«

If 80 years ago, Nazi Germany had presided over the Security Council – although it didn't exist at that time – I hope people wouldn't have accepted that," said Andrea Venzon, co-founder of the Atlas movement. If Russia is not yet as criminal as Nazi Germany, it is getting closer. It is responsible for more than 200,000 deaths, 18 million people have been displaced... It is now clear that Russia is not trying to stop this war, so the only thing we can do is take strong action.

»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York in April. "Another key event of the Russian presidency will be the Council's high-level public debate on 'effective multilateralism through the defence of the principles of the UN Charter'. The meeting will be chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters. He is also expected to chair a session of discussions on the Middle East on 25 April.

Protests and call for boycott

Faced with the "lack of responsiveness" of diplomats, he said, Atlas is calling for demonstrations this afternoon in London and other capitals of Security Council members. But above all, it calls on diplomats from seven member countries to boycott the meetings. A strong symbol, but one that should not be followed: in New York, diplomats refuse to hinder the Council's ability to act on other issues. Instead, they promise to be vigilant and block any obstruction Russia may impose this month.

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We expect Russia to continue to use its headquarters to spread disinformation and try to divert attention from its attempts to justify its actions in Ukraine and the war crimes that members of its armed forces are committing. "reacted for his part Thursday the spokeswoman of the american executive, Karine Jean-Pierre.

At the UN, Russia says it faces the "collective West," which has ostracized it from world nations since the launch of its military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.

► READ ALSO: After the arrest of its journalist in Russia, the "Wall Street Journal" raises the tone

(

And with AFP)

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  • Russia
  • UN
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  • Diplomacy
  • Human rights