Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at the UN Security Council Meeting on Cooperation between the Security Council and the League of Arab States
Mr. Minister,
We are glad to see you in the Chair of the Security Council.
We are thankful to our Kuwaiti colleagues for convening this meeting and for initiating a statement by the President of the Security Council regarding interaction with the League of Arab States (LAS), which we support. We believe it necessary to enhance interaction with the LAS taking into account the conflict potential remaining in the Middle East. We proceed from the assumption that, just like in case with Africa, Arab problems should have Arab solutions.
We thank Secretary-General of the United Nations H.E. Antonio Guterres and Secretary-General of the League of Arab States H.E. Ahmed Aboul Gheit for their detailed briefings. We share many of the assessments contained therein. On our part we would like to draw attention to the following:
Colleagues at this table can confirm that the Security Council pays priority attention to the issues of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – almost as much as to the problems of the African continent.
This is not a coincident. The Middle East and North Africa are living through an uneasy and tense time. The reason for that – reckless external interference in the affairs of region’s sovereign States.
Conflicts in Syria, Libya, Yemen are still in their acute phase. There is also protest potential in Sudan. There is much to be done in order to sustain stability in Iraq. The problem of Western Sahara is waiting for solution. Israeli-Palestinian settlement stands at the core of the turbulence. The international legal basis for the settlement is being eroded by unilateral steps of the key actors of the Middle Eastern settlement. Escalation of terrorism and extremism goes on, social and economic problems exacerbate. All of this undoubtedly increases the demand for the League of Arab States, because it is a mechanism of multilateral dialogue and coordination of the collective efforts of regional stakeholders, as well as of limiting the destructive external interference in the region’s affairs.
We are interested in a strong, united and effective LAS, which will increase the Arab profile in conflict prevention and relief, help give a collective response to regional challenges that have already been mentioned.
There is a need to unite in order to achieve one of the most important goals of today – launching of a regional dialogue aimed at establishing a security architecture in the Persian Gulf, where now, according to our estimates, tension around Iran is being artificially inflated. The relevant Russian concept can become fundamental for this action, which will ultimately cover the entire MENA space. We know that the Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed similar ideas on many occasions.
We believe the United Nations and the League of Arab States should unleash the potential of prospective cooperation. The two organizations should regularly check that they are on the same page regarding pressing regional issues that are on the Security Council agenda. They should also exchange best practices of settling crises and other problems that create obstacles for maintaining international and regional peace and security.
We proceed from the assumption that cooperation between the Security Council and the LAS would promote well-balanced international approaches to the Arab problems, and develop new assistance mechanism to settle regional crises. Concrete areas for such cooperation could be the following: mediator anti-crisis efforts; rapprochement of positions on urgent conflict situations, in particular regarding Syria, given concrete support measures for post-conflict building; assistance in settling the Palestinian question on an internationally acknowledged basis; humanitarian action; efforts to solve issues related to sustainable development of the Arab world; development of an adequate strategy to counter emerging threats and challenges in the region, including the spread of terrorism and illegal cross border migration.
Mr. President,
Russia will continue to sustain partner-like interaction with the LAS on a mutually beneficial basis. We hold regular consultations on most pressing international and regional problems.
On 16 April, 2019, Moscow hosted the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum. Plan of Action 2019-2021 and a joint communique that were adopted at this meeting reiterated that we are on the same page regarding a wide range of issues, including the Middle Eastern settlement, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, anti-terrorist agenda, non-proliferation of WMDs in the Middle East, civilizational dialogue.
Speaking about the inter-civilizational dialogue, we cannot but mention the situation with Christians and other religious minorities who have become victims of destabilization and hostages of extremist rhetoric at the MENA area. We believe the League of Arab States can play a positive role in spreading inter-confessional and inter-ethnic culture of peace. We stand ready to share our expertise in this area.
In conclusion, let me underscore that Russia will remain a frank and unbiased partner that our Arab friends can always rely on.
Thank you.
