Statement by Mr.Petr Illiichev, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, at the Security Council on the United Nations Mission in Colombia
The Russian delegation supported the adoption of the resolution 2381 (2017), expanding the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.
The mission will now provide assistance in monitoring compliance with the temporary ceasefire agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional. In addition to the achievements of the peace process with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, we hope that this ceasefire will complete the final solution to the lengthy internal conflict and achieve domestic peace in Colombia.
We value the support of the guarantors in this process: Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Norway and Venezuela.
We expect that the Government and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional will meet their obligations in good faith and that the Verification Mission will provide the necessary assistance to that end. We believe that expanding the mandate of the Mission by increasing its staff by 70 international observers and setting up an additional 33 posts is fully in line with the expectations of Colombia.
As to the Verification Mission, it has become an excellent tradition to develop the mandate of the Mission in close coordination with the Colombians themselves. Today’s consensus vote clearly demonstrates that the Security Council is ready to provide constant support for the good faith of the two parties.
We are convinced that the national ownership of the peace process by the Colombians is the main reason for these positive developments and the best guarantee for lasting peace and further developments.
That is the most important lesson both for States that are experiencing a difficult chapter in their history and for the members of the Security Council in considering the most complicated situations on our agenda.
