Statement by Mr.Petr Illiichev, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, at the Security Council on the situation in Libya
Russia supported today’s presidential statement S/PRST/2017/24, echoing the voices of those who are gravely concerned by reports of incidents of migrants being sold into slavery in Libya.
However, the authors of the text, bowing to the opinions of some Council members, refused to take into account one important addition to the draft statement that had been proposed by the Russian delegation.
We are convinced that the Security Council should have condemned the circumstances that created the current legal chaos in Libya, leading to alleged manifestations of slavery.
We understand the extent to which some did not wish to recognize their responsibility for the far-reaching consequences of the 2011 military intervention. For years now, we have had to cherish the hope that the United Nations would help the Libyans to achieve national reconciliation and re-establish the country’s unity.
