GENEVA, November 21. /TASS/. Western countries use unilateral coercive measures to destabilize the states they do not like, but Russia views such politically motivated actions as unacceptable, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said.

"We view as categorically unacceptable the West’s widely used practice of introducing unilateral coercive measures as a tool of pressure on sovereign countries and their governments," he told an International Conference on Sanctions, Business and Human Rights in Geneva via video link. "Such politically motivated actions violate fundamental human rights and freedoms, universally recognized norms of international law, undermine efforts of states to resolve crisis situations, and have been repeatedly condemned in numerous UN General Assembly resolutions."

Western countries apply the measures "essentially as a mechanism of collective punishment," Vershinin said. Such measures are aimed at "destabilizing the economic and financial systems of countries that fall out of favor, damaging entire sectors of the economy and destroying global production chains," according to the diplomat. The measures damage the system of international trade, undermine the principle of fair competition, and impede comprehensive social and economic development, especially in developing countries, he went on to say.

"It is much more productive to solve the existing problems politically and diplomatically through depoliticized and truly mutually respectful dialogue in strict compliance with the norms of international law," he continued.

Vershinin expressed support for the work of the special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures and human rights, Alena Douhan. The diplomat praised her work "to conduct a detailed analysis and assessment of the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures, as well as the practice of their excessive enforcement" and expressed hope that it would be approved at the international level.

The two-day conference started on November 21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and is attended by members of governments and humanitarian organizations and experts from Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran, China, Cuba, China, Eritrea, Cuba, Syria and other countries.