Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

UN Secretary-General Calls for Peace in Ukraine, China Proposes a 12-Point Peace Plan

February 26, 2023

 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, center, speaks at UNSC  in New York, on Feb. 24, 2023

 

UN chief calls for peace on anniversary of conflict in Ukraine

(Xinhua) 10:44, February 25, 2023

The UN Security Council holds a high-level meeting on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 24, 2023. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for preventing further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and giving peace "a chance." (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 24, 2023 (Xinhua) --

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for preventing further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and giving peace "a chance."

"We must prevent further escalation," he told a Security Council high-level meeting on Ukraine, which was convened on the first anniversary of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and attended by about 30 foreign ministers and diplomats.

"We must all encourage every meaningful effort to end the bloodshed and, at long last, give peace a chance," said Guterres.

Noting the Security Council has held more than 40 debates on Ukraine over the past year, he said that "the guns are talking now, but in the end we all know that the path of diplomacy and accountability is the road to a just and sustainable peace."

"Protection of civilians must remain the top priority," Guterres stressed, also calling for actions to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, invest in Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, as well as to avoid nuclear risks.

He gave an update on the progress made under the Black Sea Grain Initiative and renewed calls for the deal's extension.

On July 22, 2022, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Trkiye and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict.

The deal, due to expire on Nov. 19, 2022, was extended for another 120 days.

Under the deal, more than 20 million metric tons of foodstuffs have now been safely reconnected to global supply chains on more than 700 ships, helping to bring down prices around the world, Guterres said.

"I want to underscore the importance of all parties remaining engaged in this initiative, and reiterate our call for it to be extended beyond March 2023," he said.

Guterres added that the United Nations is firmly committed to working to remove remaining obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports, including ammonia.

These efforts demonstrated that international cooperation is essential, valuable and possible, "even in the midst of conflict," the UN chief said. 

UN chief calls for peace on anniversary of conflict in Ukraine - People's Daily Online

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China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis

China Foreign Ministry

Fmprc, 2023-02-24 09:00

1. Respecting the sovereignty of all countries. Universally recognized international law, including the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, must be strictly observed. The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. All parties should jointly uphold the basic norms governing international relations and defend international fairness and justice. Equal and uniform application of international law should be promoted, while double standards must be rejected. 

2. Abandoning the Cold War mentality. The security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others. The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly. There is no simple solution to a complex issue. All parties should, following the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and bearing in mind the long-term peace and stability of the world, help forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture. All parties should oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security, prevent bloc confrontation, and work together for peace and stability on the Eurasian Continent.

3. Ceasing hostilities. Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties must stay rational and exercise restraint, avoid fanning the flames and aggravating tensions, and prevent the crisis from deteriorating further or even spiraling out of control. All parties should support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible, so as to gradually deescalate the situation and ultimately reach a comprehensive ceasefire. 

4. Resuming peace talks. Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis. All efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be encouraged and supported. The international community should stay committed to the right approach of promoting talks for peace, help parties to the conflict open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible, and create conditions and platforms for the resumption of negotiation. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard. 

5. Resolving the humanitarian crisis. All measures conducive to easing the humanitarian crisis must be encouraged and supported. Humanitarian operations should follow the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and humanitarian issues should not be politicized. The safety of civilians must be effectively protected, and humanitarian corridors should be set up for the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones. Efforts are needed to increase humanitarian assistance to relevant areas, improve humanitarian conditions, and provide rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, with a view to preventing a humanitarian crisis on a larger scale. The UN should be supported in playing a coordinating role in channeling humanitarian aid to conflict zones.

6. Protecting civilians and prisoners of war (POWs). Parties to the conflict should strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacking civilians or civilian facilities, protect women, children and other victims of the conflict, and respect the basic rights of POWs. China supports the exchange of POWs between Russia and Ukraine, and calls on all parties to create more favorable conditions for this purpose.

7. Keeping nuclear power plants safe. China opposes armed attacks against nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities, and calls on all parties to comply with international law including the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) and resolutely avoid man-made nuclear accidents. China supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in playing a constructive role in promoting the safety and security of peaceful nuclear facilities.

8. Reducing strategic risks. Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought. The threat or use of nuclear weapons should be opposed. Nuclear proliferation must be prevented and nuclear crisis avoided. China opposes the research, development and use of chemical and biological weapons by any country under any circumstances.

9. Facilitating grain exports. All parties need to implement the Black Sea Grain Initiative signed by Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UN fully and effectively in a balanced manner, and support the UN in playing an important role in this regard. The cooperation initiative on global food security proposed by China provides a feasible solution to the global food crisis.

10. Stopping unilateral sanctions. Unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the issue; they only create new problems. China opposes unilateral sanctions unauthorized by the UN Security Council. Relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions and “long-arm jurisdiction” against other countries, so as to do their share in deescalating the Ukraine crisis and create conditions for developing countries to grow their economies and better the lives of their people.

11. Keeping industrial and supply chains stable. All parties should earnestly maintain the existing world economic system and oppose using the world economy as a tool or weapon for political purposes. Joint efforts are needed to mitigate the spillovers of the crisis and prevent it from disrupting international cooperation in energy, finance, food trade and transportation and undermining the global economic recovery.

12. Promoting post-conflict reconstruction. The international community needs to take measures to support post-conflict reconstruction in conflict zones. China stands ready to provide assistance and play a constructive role in this endeavor.

China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis (fmprc.gov.cn)

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UN Security Council hears echoed demands to end war in Ukraine

UN, 24 February 2023

The UN chief told the Security Council on Friday that “we need peace” in Ukraine, calling for urgent action on multiple fronts.

“Life is a living hell for the people of Ukraine,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Council, which has held more than 40 debates on the conflict since Russia’s full-scale invasion one year ago.

On the occasion, the 15-member organ held a ministerial-level meeting on the heels of the UN General Assembly’s new demand that Russia immediately leave Ukraine, adopted at the world body’s resumed eleventh emergency special session on Thursday.

“The guns are talking now, but in the end we all know that the path of diplomacy and accountability is the road to a just and sustainable peace, in line with the UN Charter and international law,” the Secretary-General said.

The conflict has erased 30 per cent of pre-war jobs, millions are displaced, and nearly 40 per cent of the population of Ukraine require aid and protection. Almost 10 million people, including 7.8 million children, are at risk of acute post-traumatic stress disorder, he said, adding that Russia is also suffering the deadly consequences.

“We must prevent further escalation, encourage every meaningful effort to end the bloodshed and, at long last, give peace a chance,” he said.

UN Photo/Evan Schneider   Dmytro Kuleba (at table), Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, addresses the UN Security Council meeting on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Ukraine: ‘Justice must be served’

Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba pointed to clear violations of Charter provisions related to acts of aggression, saying “Russia is the problem of the world.”

“Justice must be served,” he said. In this vein, he called for creating a special tribunal with jurisdiction over the crime of aggression against Ukraine and the ability to deal with the personal immunities of principal perpetrators.

“Peace means justice, and all the peace-loving nations will win peace on the battlefield and at the diplomatic table,” he said, requesting a minute of silence in memory of victims of aggression.

Russia: ‘Goal is not to destroy Ukraine’

Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the “goal of our military operation is not to destroy Ukraine”. But, there had been a missed opportunity to forge peace.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe   Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, addresses the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.

Recalling that the conflict had started with a coup in 2014, he said Ukraine is “not a victim” and is “up to its elbows in blood and Nazi tattoos”. If Kyiv did not wage war on the people of Donetsk and Luhansk, there would have been no need for Russia’s special military operation, he added.

“If Russia stops hostilities, Ukraine will continue discriminating against Russian-speaking people and glorifying Nazism,” he warned. “If Ukraine stops hostilities, it will save many lives. Russia stands ready to negotiate for peace.”

Echoing calls for peace

Echoing calls for peace, many Council members pointed to such reflections of strong international support as the 141 countries who voted for the General Assembly’s new resolution.

“If we abandon Ukraine, we abandon the UN Charter itself and invite a world where might makes right and the strong dominate the weak,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has failed to break the spirit” of Ukrainians.

Emphasizing that Council members must now push for a just peace and ensure accountability, he said “we can never let the crimes Russia committed become ‘normal’. Behind every atrocity in this wretched war and in conflicts around the world is a human being. One man started this war – Vladimir Putin; one man can end it.”

Global impact

The war has caused a grave global crisis, including among developing countries, cancelling out gains made in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, said Domingos Estêvão Fernandes of Mozambique, which had cast an abstention on the new General Assembly resolution.

From an African perspective, he said, wars only result in people’s suffering. In fulfilling its duty, the international community must now uphold the UN Charter’s provisions on collective security, he added.

Ambassador Michel Xavier Biang of Gabon, which had also abstained on the new resolution, said the UN Charter forms the foundation for all nations’ existence. Recalling divergent views shared in the Council over the past year, he called for unity “to silence the guns in Ukraine”.

“It is time to stem the blood flow,” he said, highlighting the war’s wide-reaching devastating impact. “As Council members, we owe a response to all those killed and injured and to those asking when they can return home.”

‘War of choice’

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said this is a “war of choice”, by President Putin.

“This war matters both for the principles at stake and for the shockwaves it is creating; it needs to stop, and it needs to stop now,” he said, pointing to Ukrainian and Chinese proposals on that goal. “Looking to the future, we need to build on this [new General Assembly] resolution and make it happen.”

UN chief calls for urgent action

At the outset of the meeting, the UN Secretary-General outlined a range of urgent actions. Efforts must prioritize civilian protection, including ending targeted attacks against them and the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.

UN Photo/Evan Schneider   UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Some achievements demonstrate that international cooperation is possible, even in the midst of conflict, he said, underscoring the importance of continued engagement in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, by which more than 700 ships have carried more than 20 million metric tonnes of foodstuffs to global supply chains. As the agreement expires in March, he called for its extension.

At the same time, the Secretary-General called for unimpeded humanitarian access for life-saving assistance, and support for reconstruction and recovery efforts. In addition, he urged all parties to swiftly agree and implement a nuclear safety and security protection zone at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Veiled threats to use nuclear weapons in the context of the conflict have spiked nuclear risks to levels not seen since the darkest days of the cold war,” he said. “These threats are unacceptable.”

UN Security Council hears echoed demands to end war in Ukraine | UN News