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UN unable to create conditions for Russian delegation’s arrival at Geneva event — diplomat

Maria Zakharova explained that the UN and the UN secretary general are obliged to ensure the arrival of delegations at the United Nations’ headquarters and its Geneva office, particularly at such a critical moment

MOSCOW, February 28. /TASS/. The United Nations is unable to create conditions for the arrival of a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva for a meeting of the UN Disarmament Commission and the UN Human Rights Council, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Rossiya-1 TV channel.

"The United Nations is unable to create conditions for the arrival of the Russian delegation in Geneva for a meeting of the Disarmament Commission and the Human Rights Council. This is a response from the UN secretary general," she said.

"Given that our neighboring European countries have closed their airspace to Russian planes, the flight that the Russian delegation intended to take to travel to Geneva - not for an art exhibition or a conversation on environmental problems but for discussions of pressing issues related to disarmament and human rights - [won’t be able to depart]," Zakharova added.

She explained that the UN and the UN secretary general "are obliged to ensure the arrival of delegations at the United Nations’ headquarters and its Geneva office, particularly at such a critical moment."

Zakharova said on February 25 that the Russian top diplomat was expected to take part in the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva between February 28 and March 1. According to Zakharova, Lavrov was scheduled to meet with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and hold a number of bilateral meetings with his foreign colleagues and heads of the key Geneva-based international organizations.

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