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UNGA has no authority to collect any ‘reparations’ from Russia — Russian mission

According to the Russian diplomat, putting this draft for vote, Western nations are opening a Pandora’s box
Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky AP Photo/John Minchillo
Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky
© AP Photo/John Minchillo

UNITED NATIONS, November 13. /TASS/. The United Nations General Assembly is not authorized to establish any mechanisms to make Russia pay ‘reparations,’ as a resolution put for voting on November 14 suggests, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations said on Sunday.

"The UN General Assembly will be in focus of attention tomorrow again: Western countries plan another acrimonious attack. This time, they are pushing through a UNGA draft resolution on calling Russia responsible, including reparations to Ukraine. They are seeking to set up a mechanism that would not be controlled by the General Assembly. Even non-professionals see the politicized nature and legal futility of this document: the General Assembly doesn’t have such authority," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

According to the Russian diplomat, putting this draft for vote, Western nations are opening a Pandora’s box. "These consequences are seen quite clearly. I wish our Western colleagues demonstrate their utter fidelity to principles and show readiness to repay the damage done to developing countries during the centuries of their colonial policy, slavery and robbery of their natural resources. Let alone hundreds of aggressions and intrusions. Otherwise, it will only highlight the United States’ and its satellites’ double standards and their desire to be above law," he emphasized.

He noted that the majority of UN member nations share these positions. "The more so as the draft, as a matter of fact, is not about Ukraine and everyone sees it perfectly well," he went on to say. "The question is whether developing countries will be able to withstand the blackmail and arms twisting - the West has no other argument in its arsenal left. They care only about the number of votes cast for their draft, the need a lopsided score, otherwise their plan will look pitiful."

He noted that Western countries tried to put the draft for voting avoiding previous debates. "Not to hear fair criticism, the Western bloc tried to avoid debates before voting the draft, but we did not let them do it and debates will be held after all," he added.

A mechanism of collecting "reparations" from Russia Western national plan to put for vote in the United Nations General Assembly on November 14 is meant to legitimize Russia’s frozen assets, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations said.

"The underlying motive of the West’s initiative stands out a mile - our former Western partners are seeking to use the General Assembly to give a veneer of legality to their attempts at appropriating, or, to be more precise, at stealing Russian assets frozen in the West. They will do it on the national level, citing ‘the will of the international community’ expressed by the General Assembly," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

"Obviously, the stolen money will go first of all to buy new weapons or repay Ukraine’s corresponding debts," he noted. "And the General Assembly resolution is meant to be a ‘fig leaf’ for that. Any honest lawyer sees only too well the absurdity of such attempts from the point of view of international law. But Western countries, blind with Russophobia, seem to be ready to to go to all lengths."

The United Nations General Assembly will resume an emergency special session on Ukraine on November 14 to vote on a draft resolution on "reparation" to Kiev. The resolution also calls on Russia to stop combat operations in Ukraine and withdraw its troops. The draft was initiated by Western countries with Ukraine’s participation.