Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov’s visit to the United Nations (UN) on Monday and Tuesday will focus on issues such as the grain deal or “true multilateralism” while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov will travel to New York in April as part of the Russian presidency of the UN Security Council and will lead two debates there, on multilateralism and the Middle East.
The head of Russian diplomacy will not pass up the opportunity to discuss directly with UN Secretary General António Guterres the continuity of the Black Sea grain agreement and Moscow’s dissatisfaction with the lack of compliance with certain aspects of the initiative to discuss.
Lavrov hopes to chair two meetings, one on multilateralism and the other on the Middle East, both open to debate. Both issues are topical. True multilateralism and false multilateralism are much discussed, referenced and variously referenced by states – members of the UN”, predicted the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya.
“We would like to talk about what we consider real multilateralism,” said the diplomat, whose country invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
According to Nebenzya, a talk with Guterres on the continuity of the grain deal is “also due,” at a time when Russia admits it will not renew the deal if progress is not made in fulfilling commitments under the memorandum between Moscow and Russia. the UN.
“As we have said many times, we do not see any progress that will ensure that the initiative is implemented on both sides. Because there are two sides: the agreement on the export of grains from Ukraine and the memorandum of understanding that provides for the export of Russian grains and fertilizers, which are not being carried out despite all the efforts of the UN Secretary-General,” Nebenzya told reporters.
“It is clear that this talk and dialogue will take place when Minister Lavrov meets Secretary General Guterres,” the diplomat assured on Monday.
Still on Lavrov’s trip to the United States, Nebenzya did not rule out a meeting between the Russian minister and US authorities if they so requested, but assured that nothing has been planned so far.
“We will not walk away from any meeting. If the United States is willing, we will not walk away from such a meeting,” Nebenzya said.
Russia, one of the Security Council’s five permanent members and veto power, this month assumed the rotating presidency of the body, which has the capacity to pass binding resolutions.
Overwhelmed by strong criticism, the Russian mission announced two events during its leadership: an open debate on arms and military equipment exports; and a ministerial-level debate, chaired by Lavrov, entitled “Effective Multilateralism through Upholding the Principles of the UN Charter”, with a briefing by Guterres.
However, some unusual gatherings have attracted international attention, such as the one on April 5, when Nebenzya accused Portugal, Spain and Germany of taking “hundreds” of Ukrainian children from their mothers to place in shelters in their respective areas. statements that were refuted by the Portuguese government.
That meeting took place less than a month after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, precisely because of his alleged involvement in child abductions in Ukraine.
So far, Russia’s Security Council presidency has been the most controversial in memory of former diplomats and UN officials interviewed by the Associated Press (AP) agency.
In March, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, publicly appealed to the organization not to allow the Russian presidency, but always without success.
Kyslytsya has failed to block the Russian presidency and now hopes Guterres will use his meeting with Lavrov to personally “reaffirm” his position.
“If Lavrov is not stopped in any of the countries covered by the Rome Statute on his way to New York, Guterres will have the opportunity to personally affirm his position to Lavrov. The position is now guided by resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations supported by an overwhelming majority of member states,” Kyslytsya said in statements to CBS television.
Source: DN
