For decades, this lofty stage served an important purpose — to hold discussions on how to make life on the planet safer and better. Regrettably, over the past decade, that discussion has not been translated into concrete positive action.
As a result, global politics have deteriorated. That trend has had a negative impact on all other spheres of international relations. What is the role of the United Nations in these processes? To serve merely as a stage for discussion? That is the role that many ascribe to it. It is therefore no surprise that the Organization is often reproached for its inaction and inability to stop the growing global chaos and to stop the triple crisis — of security, food and energy — that has engulfed the entire world.
Of course, such reproaches are not entirely fair. The United Nations is all of us. The Organization can do only as much as its Member States allow it to do. On the one hand, that is perfectly logical. On the other, it is fraught with determinism. It implies that the United Nations is hostage to external forces and will be able to effectively fulfil its mandate only when there are positive changes in its environment.
Does that not sound familiar? That was the same prevailing attitude towards the League of Nations before the Second World War. Just a century ago. on the shores of Lake Geneva, many, like us. discussed the threats of their time. However, those discussions had little effect, and the world inexorably slipped into the abyss. The League of Nations was consigned to oblivion because of its uselessness. The United Nations could suffer the same fate if it remains a passive observer.
We are convinced that the overwhelming majority of Member States do not wish to see such an outcome. If that is so. then the United Nations must not wait, but act. The Organization must work to produce positive changes in external circumstances and ensure peace, stability and sustainable development on our planet. That is an immense task given the current toxic global politics. However, if we. as Member States and the reasonable global majority, help our Organization, then it can rise to that task.
In the context of assessing Soviet Russia’s relations with the West a century ago. the famous American diplomat George Kennan said that:
“some degree of conflict and antagonism is present in every international relationship; [therefore] some measure of compromise is necessary everywhere. if political societies are to live together on the same planet”.
Let us be guided by that wise advice, and despite the high degree of antagonism in today’s international system, let us seek compromise and harmony everywhere. And let us act within the framework of the United Nations. We see a number of key steps that should be taken in that regard.
First, the policy of ostracism at the United Nations must be stopped. It is a practice that runs counter to the very essence of our Organization. After all. according to the Charter of the United Nations, all members are equal. Let us treat each other with respect and equality. No one should stoop to insults and disrespectful rhetoric, such as the use of the word “regime” to describe the legitimate Governments of Member States. Similarly, certain countries should refrain from trying to restrict the participation of any other States Members in the work of our Organization. Such actions are a direct violation of the Charter. Moreover, the entire history of multilateral diplomacy has taught us that we can achieve positive results only through inclusiveness and cooperation.
Secondly, certain Member States must cease their attempts to turn the United Nations and its system into instruments to serve their foreign policies. Politicizing our Organization only discredits it in the eyes of ordinary people around the world. After all. the United Nations was created for cooperation in the interests of people, not to settle scores between one State and another. We believe that bilateral issues should not be brought into international organizations to serve as an apple of discord.
Thirdly, we can — and should — work productively in the United Nations on our common challenges. We should therefore work to resolve them using an approach that starts with the simplest and moves on the most complex. The most difficult problems — let us call them first-tier issues — are undoubtedly those related to security. They are the most dangerous, even explosive, apple of discord in global politics. Then there are other, second-tier issues, such as combating climate change, transnational crime, pandemics and diseases, which can be solved. Every country in the world suffers equally from their effects, and they all are equally interested in responding effectively to such challenges. Let us therefore intensify our work
in those areas. Ordinary people around the world are expecting results.
Let me give a very clear example of how we can work together successfully even in the midst of sharp political disagreements. At the thirty-second session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Vienna in May. Belarus submitted a draft resolution on combating trafficking in persons in supply chains. Initially, our initiative was perceived negatively by Western countries, for political reasons. However, once engaged in the negotiation process, they realized the importance of the initiative and began to work for a positive result. The resolution was adopted by consensus and all the parties involved have begun to implement it. Let us apply that same approach to all other second-tier issues of concern. In particular, we are hoping to see the same constructive efforts during this session of the Assembly on Belarus’s biennial draft resolution entitled “Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons”.
However, where common sense is most needed for us is in finding a solution to the global food crisis. Let us assume that there is enough food in the world for everyone. At the same time, however, millions around the world are going hungry. That contradiction is a result of the unilateral illegal sanctions that Western nations have imposed in violation of the Charter against countries they do not like or in order to gain a competitive economic advantage. In turn, sanctions limit the ability to export food and fertilizers to the developing nations that need them the most. Consequently, the global food crisis is human-made, not systemic. As such, it is easy to resolve. All that is needed is to remove those illegal barriers. The countries that have set up the barriers should remove them. And that applies not only to global food security but to all other areas of international life. The unilateral coercive measures imposed by the West, directly or indirectly, against virtually every other State in the world must be immediately removed. Both common sense and the common interests of all people on the planet demand that.
We believe that achieving progress in resolving global second-tier issues within the framework of the United Nations can help us to build a foundation of mutual trust for collective and effective work on security issues. In that area, we are witnessing a power shift from the West towards the rest of the world. Such shifts in history have often been accompanied by wars. However, it is in our power to channel that process onto a peaceful track. The best way to do that is to expand the permanent membership of the Security Council. The Council does not reflect today’s geopolitical realities. Three of its five permanent members are from the West. They have no interest in changing the global status quo. As a result, the Council is not fulfilling its function of maintaining international peace and security. Only a more representative and democratic body can carry out that task. Expanding the category of permanent membership in the Council to include major developing countries from Asia. Africa and Latin America is therefore an imperative of our times. We are pleased that China and Russia support such a reform of the Council, as they have repeatedly said. We call on the other three permanent members of the Security Council to acknowledge the new realities and to agree to enshrine them in a reformed body.
As long ago as 2017. President Alexander Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus proposed an initiative to launch a global security dialogue, in an attempt to prevent a negative spiral in global politics. Unfortunately, some key players did not want to listen to that reasonable call. As a result, the security architecture in Europe has suffered a serious setback. But it is never too late to do the right thing. If we all want to make life on the planet safer and better, as we constantly hear about from this rostrum, we have no choice but to engage in dialogue and negotiations. The Head of State of Belarus has consistently stressed the importance of organizing such a dialogue in the spirit of the San Francisco Conference. That Conference truly gave life to our Organization and brought hope for a better future for the entire world. We need that same hope today, and we believe that the United Nations is the platform where that initiative can become a reality. We believe that the international conference on the topic “Eurasian security: reality and prospects” that Belarus will hold in Minsk on 26 and 27 October is one such contribution to the global dialogue process.
I should not fail to mention the subject of the conflict in our neighbouring country of Ukraine. It has been very painful for us to watch how people close to us have been suffering for a year and a half. Unfortunately. Ukraine and its people have become a bargaining chip in the West’s great game aimed at preserving its global hegemony. It is clear that by increasing its supply of arms to Ukraine, the West is determined to continue fighting the war to the last Ukrainian. But does Ukraine want that? Do Ukrainians need a war of
attrition? We do not believe that. For its part. Belarus has always supported peace in our neighbour Ukraine and has taken every possible step in that regard. As the President of our country. Alexander Lukashenko, has said, we are still ready to do everything in our power to achieve that end.