For the first time in world history, from 1 April 2023, an aggressor and state sponsor of terrorism will be President of the UN Security Council – responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
A letter written by the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) condemning Russia’s upcoming presidency of the UN Security Council, was hand-delivered to the UN Information Centre Canberra by the Ukrainians in Sydney Rallies Group last week, who held a protest outside their office.
“We believe Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine makes it inconceivable that Russia can fulfill these obligations,” said the AFUO Co-Chairs, Stefan Romaniw OAM and Kateryna Argyrou in the letter.
The letter noted the International Criminal Court’s warrants for the arrest of Putin on charges of war crimes; the February 2023 UN Human Rights Council report which condemned Russian attacks against civilians which included systematic torture and killing in occupied regions; Russian aggression in Moldova, Georgia, Chechnya, and the occupation of Ukrainian Crimea and the Donbas in 2014; Russia’s frequent manipulation of the UN Security Council veto power; and its illegitimacy in usurping of the the Security Council seat, following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The letter was presented to the head of the UN Information Centre, with a promise to deliver the letter to the UN in New York (both electronically and via courier mail).
The Ukrainian Ministry for Foreign Affairs has slammed Russia’s upcoming presidency and has questioned the overall role and structure of the United Nations, saying “It’s valid to ask: do we need to reform the UN – including the veto power of permanent members of the UNSC, such as Russia?”
Image Sources: kickrussiaout.info, Jason Szenes
