Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy after the UN Security Council vote on a draft resolution on South Sudan sanctions

Mr. President,

The Russian delegation could not support the “technical” draft resolution put to vote by the U.S. on extending sanctions regime for South Sudan in its unchanged form. We are against automatism when it comes to extending sanctions. We call to proceed from the situation on the ground in each and every case. Speaking about the situation in South Sudan, it has a sustainable trend towards stabilization.

We welcome the agreement on extending the pre-transitional period in the country. We understand that this period had not been terminated on time by May 12 for a number of objective reasons. However, a significant part of agreements achieved in September 2018 in Khartoum was implemented. In this regard, we point out the establishment and the start of operation of a number of configurations and mechanisms that were envisaged by the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

We commend that since the Revitalized Agreement was signed, there has been a considerable drop in violence, the number of human rights violations in the country has also reduced. Increasingly more refugees and IDPs express their wish to return to places of their permanent residence. Confidence-building measures are implemented “on the ground”, opposition members are getting back to the capital.

We do not share the opinion that the progress that has emerged in the South Sudanese settlement was sustained by the enhancement of sanctions pressure in July last year and by imposing arms embargo. It was not sanctions that played a role, but the international mediators. Moreover, at some stage the arms embargo did not let the region be flexible and support settlement with the help of their own security initiatives.

Mr. President,

If I may, one last issue: this is our last open meeting this month in this format and in this room, so I would like to thank the Indonesian Presidency for the perfect work and wish every success to our colleagues from Kuwait.

I thank you for the attention.