Interview of Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, to Interfax News Agency on the occasion of Victory Day
Question: Ambassador, I congratulate you on the upcoming Victory Day! The United Nations for the first time in its history faced a global healthcare crisis, unlike any other in this area, and had to switch over to telecommuting. Could you please tell a little about the way the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Russia function in this uneasy time? Do you have fewer contacts with partners now?
Vassily Nebenzia: The coronavirus pandemic and quarantine measures that followed turned out to be a great challenge for the United Nations. The organization had to make extraordinary and unprecedented decisions related to how the Headquarters and field missions should function in such circumstances. For example, with regard to the General Assembly, Member-States had to develop procedures of remote adoption of consensus-based resolutions, revise the program of work, reschedule a number of major events.
Many important meetings were held via VTC. However, the density of our contacts has not declined. As a matter of fact, it intensified in some aspects. The difference is that now our contacts are remote. But they still cannot replace live communication.
Question: The Security Council has gone online for the first time in its history. Do you like it this way? Do you think the newly introduced methods of work with resolutions, their adoption by correspondence will remain after the self-isolation is over?
Vassily Nebenzia: Indeed, the Council had to adapt its working methods to the current situation. However, we cannot say that formal meetings of the Security Council are convened via VTC. To be able to say so we need to meet certain requirements, e.g. ensure simultaneous interpretation in six official UN languages, etc. UNSC meetings are now called “VTCs of Security Council Member-States”. They are not considered formal briefings or consultations. This was done to avoid contradictions with the UN Charter and the Council’s rules of procedure that envisage no such thing as VTCs, as you understand.
We have agreed on having a provisional special procedure of remote voting on resolutions based on written national positions that Member-States pass to the President of the Council. It will remain in effect until we get back to the Security Council Chamber.
Question: Since we touched upon the decision-making, what prevents the Council from having a common position on the global ceasefire related to the pandemic? Are there plans to reconsider effective UNSC sanctions regimes or elaborate extra humanitarian exemptions amidst the pandemic?
Vassily Nebenzia: We welcome the Secretary-General’s initiative to establish global ceasefire because of the pandemic, support its mentions in UNSC documents. However, the ceasefire cannot cover anti-terrorism efforts of the global community. In our view, these efforts should intensify, because the terrorist “internationale” will never miss an opportunity to sew chaos in countries that mainstream their resources that are often rather scarce to counter the pandemic.
What is no less important is Secretary-General’s initiative to lift sanctions that undermine countries’ capacities to respond to the pandemic. We stand ready to readdress current sanctions regimes and work on additional humanitarian exemptions at UNSC sanctions committees.
Question: Soon we will mark May 9 – one of the most important dates for our country and a very special date in the context of UN history. The Permanent Mission of Russia used to organize various events at UNHQ on this occasion. What bearing is the coronavirus going to have on Victory Day celebrations this year?
Vassily Nebenzia: Unfortunately, we had to postpone all events we had planned to mark May 9. Still we hope that once the situation gets back to normal, we will have a large celebration of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War at the UNHQ.
In particular, I would like to mention Russian traditional initiative to hold a specialized UNGA meeting dedicated to the end of World War II that is convened once every five years. This initiative always finds support of CIS states, China and many others who co-authored the corresponding resolution. We hope such meeting takes place as soon as the General Assembly resumes its work.
Question: What about the program of festivities outside the United Nations? Do you plan on any online meetings or campaigns with diplomats from the Permanent Missions of CIS states? Apparently, you will not be able to have the traditional “May gathering” at the premises of the Mission. What comes instead?
Vassily Nebenzia: We will pay tribute to our heroes and will honor the veterans while complying with self-isolation rules. In cooperation with colleagues from Permanent Missions of CIS states we launched a multimedia project #Victory75. Within its framework we make and share publications on social media that tell about selfless deeds our compatriots performed during the Great Patriotic War. Thus we create a common “chronicle” of heroic acts of the peoples of our countries, build an online memorial to glorify the victors.
Victory Museum of Moscow has joined this campaign. It shared a big compilation of materials about former Soviet republics during the Great Patriotic War. Also our colleagues received support of the Military-Historical Museum of Kazakhstan.
The motto of the campaign #Victory75 is “We do not categorize heroes as ours or theirs but praise the contribution of every nation to the defeat of Nazism. This is our common Victory”.
For example, the Permanent Mission of Kyrgyzstan shared a wonderful story of a 16-year-old girl who during the war became a mother to 150 children that had been evacuated from besieged Leningrad. Her care and kindness saved their lives. We published a story about courageous workers of the Hermitage Museum who could organize during the war two big academic conferences dedicated to poets Navoi and Nizami.
Courage, heroism, human dignity and mutual help demonstrated by all nations of the USSR without exception are the most valuable legacy that connects the countries of the CIS. States of the Commonwealth share assessments about the decisive role of the Soviet Union in liberating Europe and the world from Nazism. Like us, they stand against attempts to re-write our common history.
Question: The 75th session of the General Assembly is expected to open in September. Do you think the pandemic will impact the High-Level Week? Will it be real to hold a P5 summit?
Vassily Nebenzia: I wouldn’t make any forecasts. All will depend on the epidemiological situation in New York and the measures in effect in September and October. Let’s hope for the better. All of us would like to have the 75th session in its usual format.
The leaders of UNSC permanent Member-States – Russia, China, US, Great Britain, France – have confirmed their principal readiness to convene a summit. Concrete dates and the essence are being negotiated at the capital level.
Question: “Stay at home” regime. How does it feel for you? What will you do first once self-quarantine ends?
Vassily Nebenzia: I do not stay at home. I go to the office. From point A to point B and back. It makes a line. Where I do not go now is UN headquarters. When constraints are revoked, UNHQ will be my point C and life will go triangular again. Will be good to see my colleagues and talk to them in person rather than on the screen.
