BANGKOK, April 23. /TASS/. The United Nations will not be able to operate unless its members restore normal dialogue, Kirill Logvinov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organizations, told TASS.
"As for the prospects, the situation is crystal clear to us when it comes to the UN: the organization simply won’t be able to function without its member states returning to normal dialogue," said Logvinov, who took part in the 81st session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok.
"This is tragic because the lack of dialogue is primarily harmful for ordinary people, while it was in their interests that the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was launched. However, as far as we can see, the ruling elites in the West have a long way to go to find a balance between narrow national interests and actions for the common good. That said, normalization prospects - be they distant or close - depend only on them. We are ready for dialogue, provided it is based on equality and mutual respect. We have always been and will remain ready, and our position within the UN is clear evidence of that," he added.
Logvinov pointed out that given Russia’s geographical position and role in geopolitical processes, it’s important for the country to develop relations with all countries of the world. According to the senior diplomat, the Asia-Pacific region "is one of the most rapidly developing regions in terms of both the economy and politics." "Still, it wouldn’t be right to single it out with regard to global partnership, especially in relation to the processes within the United Nations. Indeed, we currently pay far more attention to processes underway to the right of the Ural Mountains because of the cooling of relations in the Western hemisphere, caused by an overt anti-Russian hysteria. However, it doesn’t mean that Asia has faded from our sight," Logvinov emphasized, adding that "relations with Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific nations have always been a priority for Russia."
The 81st ESCAP session, which opened on Monday, will last until April 25. Its participants are discussing ways to strengthen regional cooperation in order to ensure sustainable urban development in the Asia Pacific region.