EAM Jaishankar appeals for the end of the Ukraine war at UN

New York, Sept 23: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said the need of the hour is to end the conflict in Ukraine and return to the negotiating table, and India strongly reiterates the need for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.

 

 

 

Speaking at the UNSC briefing on Ukraine 'Fight against impunity', Jaishankar noted that the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of profound concern for the entire international community and the world has experienced its consequences in terms of higher costs and shortages of foodgrains and fertilizers and fuel.

 

 

 

"This council is the most powerful symbol of diplomacy. It must continue to live up to its purpose," he said. Jaishankar recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks of “this cannot be an era of war” during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit. India also said it is regrettable that in the UN Security Council, when it comes to sanctioning some of the world's most dreaded terrorists, impunity is being facilitated and politics providing cover to evade accountability, in a veiled jibe at China which has blocked blacklisting of Pakistan-based terrorists on many occasions. "The fight against impunity is critical to the larger pursuit of securing peace and justice. The Security Council must send an unambiguous and unequivocal message on this count," Jaishankar told the 15-nation UNSC briefing on Ukraine's Fight against impunity. The briefing, chaired by the French minister for Europe and foreign affairs Catherine Colonna, was held as world leaders gathered in the UN headquarters for the high-level 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Addressing the Council briefing were UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, US secretary of state Antony Blinken, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and UK secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth, and development affairs James Cleverly, and foreign ministers of other UNSC members. "Politics should never ever provide cover to evade accountability. Nor indeed to facilitate impunity. Regrettably, we have seen this of late in this very Chamber, when it comes to sanctioning of some of the world's most dreaded terrorists,” Jaishankar said, with China listening. "If egregious attacks committed in broad daylight are left unpunished, this Council must reflect on the signals we are sending on impunity. There must be consistency if we are to ensure credibility,” he said.

 

Also Read: At UNSC, EAM Jaishankar slams China for putting hold on listing of Pak-based terrorist; WATCH HERE- 

 

Bids by India, the US, and other western allies to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists under the Security Council’s sanctions regime have been blocked and put on hold on various occasions by Islamabad’s all-weather ally and veto-wielding permanent member China in the 15-nation Council. This month, China has put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist.