Lithuania's statement at the UN General Assembly on Cooperation between the UN and regional and other organizations
Mr. President, Lithuania would like to make a statement in explanation of its position after adoption of the General Assembly resolution on Cooperation between the UN and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Mr. President, Time and again, we have seen the important role regional organizations can play in promoting conflict resolution, peace negotiations and mediation, and other matters of international peace and security. The European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the African Union, the Economic Community Of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States, and many others have been working closely with the UN for years now. We therefore welcome the adoption of resolutions on UN cooperation with regional organizations and support the development of UN relations with them.
At the same time, we would like to underline that the promotion of the UN purposes and principles as enshrined in the UN Charter and respect for the international legal norms and internationally accepted principles of behavior must lie at the core of the UN partnerships with regional organizations. These principles and norms have been repeatedly violated by one member of the Collecitve Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which annexed a part of its neighbour and continues to finance and support illegal military activities against that neighbouring state. Such behavior goes counter to all that UN's cooperation with regional organizations stands. We reiterate our profound concern by Russia's attempts to redraw the borders of the 21st century Europe and therefore note our strong unease with the text adopted today on the UN's cooperation with the CSTO. We call on Russia to stop its hostile actions against Ukraine and to abide by international law and the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of its neighbours.
Russia cannot have any claims on a peacekeeping or peacemaking role in the region as its actions are the core cause of the conflict in Ukraine. We urge the CSTO members to call on Russia to return to the internationally accepted norms of behavior and put an end to attacks on the territory of the neighbouring state.
I thank you.
