MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. In the capacity of the UN Security Council’s president Russia is going to hold debates on February 16 on interaction by the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
"On February 16, we plan to hold debates on interaction by the UN and the CSTO. At the session, ways will be discussed of stepping up such cooperation in the light of the CSTO’s tangible role in maintaining security in the Eurasian space, which was graphically demonstrated by its effective measures to promote normalization in Kazakhstan," the Foreign Ministry said.
"It will be of importance to examine the CSTO’s considerable potential in resisting terrorist and drug threats coming from Afghanistan, as well as prospects for plugging the organization into the UN peacekeeping activity," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
On February 7, Russia plans to hold debates on the humanitarian aspects of UN SC sanctions, which it regards as the central event.
"We hope that the discussion may help coordinate common approaches to minimizing the negative effects of international restrictions, which slow down economic development and push down the living standards, in particular, in the context of the novel coronavirus pandemic," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "In particular, we are going to underscore the need for expanding the practice of humanitarian exemptions and its unhampered functioning. We believe that it will be useful to draw attention at the session to the problem of unilateral sanctions that cause a major negative impact on the humanitarian situation in some countries. We do hope that the debates will promote the awareness of how important it is to depoliticize the humanitarian dossier and deepen collective work in this direction."
On February 17, Russia plans to hold a traditional briefing timed for another anniversary of the 2015 Minsk Accords and the adoption of the UN Security Council’s resolution 2202 that approved them.
"The news briefing will make it possible to highlight the UN Security Council’s role in supporting the implementation of the aforesaid agreements by all parties concerned, which is of particular importance against the backdrop of Kiev’s outspoken reluctance to comply with the assumed commitments," the Foreign Ministry said.
Among other issues on the international agenda Russia notes the situation in Syria, the Central African Republic, Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, and Haiti and the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East settlement and the struggle against terrorism.
"As a permanent member of the Security Council and a responsible member of the international community Russia will continue to exert all necessary efforts for promoting the effective operation of this body in the interests of settling crises by political and diplomatic means and maintaining global stability," the Foreign Ministry said.