NEW – October 5, 2022
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “any decision to annex the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions of Ukraine will not have legal force and deserves condemnation”.
According to the Secretary-General, “the UN Charter clearly states that any annexation of the territory of one state by another through the threat or use of force violates the principles of the UN Charter and international law”. “The position of the General Assembly on this issue is unequivocal,” Guterres said.
As is known, Russia used its veto power and blocked the adoption by the UN Security Council of a draft resolution prepared by the United States and Albania. The document condemned “illegitimate referendums organised by Russia” on the entry of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions into the Russian Federation. The draft resolution also stressed that “these referendums cannot be grounds for changing the status of the four districts”. Four countries (China, India, Brazil and Gabon) abstained from voting on the draft resolution signed by Russia, while ten more countries supported the document.
In turn, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenziya, said that “we do not know any examples of the Security Council ever passing resolutions directly condemning one of the Council members”. Then he asked his colleagues on the Security Council: “Tell me, do you seriously expect that Russia can consider and support such a draft?” Nebenziya also added that the West “deliberately places us under the use of the right of veto, then rant that Russia is abusing it”.
The Politico newspaper reported that Washington is interested in the United Nations taking anti-Russian measures, including a resolution on Ukraine, without the participation of the Security Council, where Russia uses the right of veto. The article published in the newspaper emphasises that “the administration of US President Joe Biden is making every effort to force the UN to take anti-Russian measures. Administration officials are currently considering the possibility of using some ‘unknown clause‘ in one of the articles of the Charter, which the United States has resorted to only once – in 1950, during the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. This option then helped Washington overcome the Soviet-Chinese veto and pass a resolution called ‘unity for peace’.”
There is no doubt that the UN Secretary-General’s comment on the right of the citizens of Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to self-determination strongly demonstrates not only the policy of double standards, but also the complete subordination of the leading international organisation to the hegemonic course of the United States and its allies. It seems that the UN has become a kind of “diplomatic representation” of the US administration, expressing the interests and position of Washington. Meanwhile, the UN Charter states that the Secretary-General and his staff should take a neutral and objective position, without interfering in the internal affairs of UN Member States. Therefore, Mr. Guterres not only exceeded his authority, but also took an openly pro-Western position, not to mention the “selective” and incomplete quoting of the UN Charter. In addition, his statements, at least, are biased, expressing the position of the West. Unfortunately, the same position was taken by the IAEA, which did not have the courage to accuse Ukraine of attacking the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.
The results of the referendums held in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions reflect the free expression of the will of citizens. This fully complies with the provisions of the Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 in 1970. It is noteworthy that the position of the UN Secretary-General over the past eight years has been radically different from the current position. Back then in their statements, they noted that they were “closely and with deep concern following violations of the Minsk Agreements by the Ukrainian side”.
I would also like to draw Mr. Guterres’ attention to another important principle in the UN Charter, which he himself refers to. The Secretary-General seems to have, intentionally or unintentionally, overlooked this principle. We are talking about the goals of this international organisation mentioned by it. According to point 2 of Article I of the UN Charter, it is necessary “to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace”.
In general, the right of peoples to self-determination is one of the basic principles of international law, enshrined not only in the UN Charter, but also in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities “to enjoy one’s cultural heritage, to profess one’s religion and Practice Religious Rites, and to use one’s language”.
In addition, according to Article I of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, “all peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”.
The Secretary-General may not remember the contents of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 22 July 2010 on the legality of the declaration of independence of Kosovo in 2008. The document states that “the Declaration of independence of February 17, 2008 does not contradict the norms of international law, since international law does not contain provisions prohibiting the declaration of independence”.
This is exactly what the residents of Crimea did in 2014. This is exactly what the residents of the Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions did after eight years of shelling, murder, blockade, repression, the abolition of the Russian language, Russian culture, Russian-language schools, and attempts to make residents of these regions second-class citizens in relation to the “indigenous” population.
Recently, the United States ambassadors abroad received instructions from Washington to send messages to the leaders of their countries of accreditation, calling on them not to recognise the entry of the four regions into Russia. These instructions were made after President Biden said that the United States does not recognise the “annexation of these territories”. It is possible that such a “message”, which is essentially a manifestation of diktat and political pressure, will be met with “understanding” in countries that depend on American economic assistance. Naturally, Washington has the appropriate levers in its arsenal to exert pressure on these countries, including through any kind of threats. However, the reality is that the changes taking place in the world have become irreversible. This was stated in his historic speech on September 30 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. For a long time, the West has been convinced (and perhaps some still harbour illusions about this) that it is possible to maintain the former world domination. However, later it became clear that such “dreams” are not shared by the overwhelming majority of countries that did not fall for the tricks of the West, choosing their own independent path of development – the path of cooperation with Russia.
As Putin said, “it is clear that the current neo-colonial model is ultimately doomed. But her real owners will cling to her to the end. They simply have nothing to offer the world, except for the preservation of the same system of robberies and racketeering”. Based on this, Putin concludes that “the world has entered a period of revolutionary transformations, they are of a fundamental nature. New development centres are being formed, they represent the majority – the majority! – of the world community and are ready not only to declare their interests, but also to protect them, and see multipolarity as an opportunity to strengthen their sovereignty, and therefore to gain true freedom, a historical perspective, their right to independent, creative, original development, to a harmonious process“.
Against this background, in the current conditions, the undermining of the Nord Stream gas pipeline is not a simple coincidence in time and not an accidental incident. This is a deliberate terrorist act. In this regard, we should recall the words of US President Joe Biden, said on February 23 this year. Responding to a journalist’s question about Nord Stream 2, Biden said then (I quote literally): “if Russia invades, that is, tanks or troops cross the border of Ukraine, then there will no longer be any Nord Stream 2. We will put an end to this.”
When the journalist asked Biden again about what would happen with this Russian-German project, the US president said: “I promise you that we will be able to do this.”
Such a “message”, assuming that Washington or its agents are behind this terrorist attack, is reminiscent of the same frightening warning issued by the United States in 1945 before the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Moreover, this message is addressed not only to Russia. This message of “despair and threats” is addressed to everyone, and especially to countries that are rich in energy resources, countries that occupy an important geographical position, through which oil and gas pipelines pass, countries that control strategically important sea routes and coastal areas. To all these countries, the United States “reminds” that it is they, the United States, who “still control the world, are still the only master of the unipolar world, the only “commander” of the world, and anyone who dares to rebel against such a world order will face the fate of Nord Stream. How much it all resembles the habits of the American cowboy and his uncomplicated “philosophy” based on blackmail, bribery, intimidation, intrigue, overthrowing regimes that Washington does not like, inciting conflicts, pitting countries against each other, financing and coordinating the actions of terrorist cells and organisations! So what’s so surprising about the above statements?
The return of historical Russian territories to the bosom of the Motherland is a historic decision made by the peoples of these regions. These peoples have been carriers of Russian culture for centuries. Cultural traditions and customs were passed down from generation to generation. However, numerous attempts of these peoples to integrate into the Ukrainian state, attempts to live in a single multicultural, multiethnic and multi-confessional state were met with hostility. The Ukrainian authorities completely ignored the requests and aspirations of these peoples. After the 2014 coup, the Kiev nazi regime finally embarked on the path of oppressing the peoples of these regions, rejecting all attempts to change this course. Moreover, the Kiev authorities pursued a puppet policy, completely ignoring the interests of the entire Ukrainian people, turning them into a tool serving the goals of the collective West. The Kiev regime carried out two military operations against the people of Donbass and other regions, and planned a third operation. However, Russia protected the population of these areas, who eventually decided to return to their historical Motherland.
After the Federal Assembly approves the incorporation of these republics and regions into Russia this week, and after the country’s president signs a corresponding decree, these regions will become part of Russian territory [at the time of publishing, this has already happened – SZ]. Any aggression against this territory will be considered aggression against Russia. All responsibility for the consequences of such actions will fall on the shoulders of the aggressor country. In this case, the special military operation to provide assistance to the republics whose independence was recognised by Russia in February of this year may turn into a war against the one who committed aggression against Russian territory. It will be a brutal war, and frankly, I do not imagine that Ukraine will be able to fight it even with the help of NATO.
I think that old Europe, represented by France, Germany, Italy and Spain, is aware of the harmful consequences of a possible war with Russia, based on its previous sad experience. However, there are still small states that are not experienced in politics, which left the Warsaw Pact Organisation at one time. They try, as they say, to be holier than the Pope, faithfully and loyally serving their overseas master. I mean, first of all, Poland and the Baltic states. These countries, apparently, “do not know what they are doing”, do not understand that they are simply incited to commit anti-Russian actions, to “provide assistance and support to Ukraine”, which until recently was a “fraternal country for Russia”.
Russia endured for a long time, put up with the current situation, when NATO expanded to the east in front of the whole world. Moscow has not made any sudden moves for a long time, relying on dialogue, negotiations, warnings, and demands for security guarantees. The response is complete disregard and refusal to comply with these demands. Today, Russia has regained its historical rights. Any actions in relation to the territories that have joined Russia are now considered interference in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation. Everything that happens there does not concern any other state in the world, does not concern the United Nations. After the announcement of the attachment of these regions, Russia absolutely does not care who recognised this fact and who did not. The new multipolar world is based on the will of peoples, based on solidarity with Russia and its like-minded people around the world, including in Europe and the United States. It is also based on our solidarity with those whose support we feel, with the movement for liberation from neo-colonial dependence and unipolar hegemony. We are talking about the liberation war unfolding in various countries of the world. The characteristics, signs, details and scale of this war are already emerging. This war will determine what the new geopolitical reality will become in the future.
At the same time, despite all this, Russia is extending its hand to the Ukrainian “enemy”, calling on them to cease fire and sit down at the negotiating table in order to first discuss the demarcation of new borders. This is a very important issue, especially after NATO declared its unwillingness to comply with the request of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to accelerate the country’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance. By the way, Washington was also, to put it mildly, “dumbfounded” by this request.
As for trying to solve the problem “on the battlefield”, as is said, “sorry, but we warned you…”. In this case, we will no longer be talking about a special military operation. In this case, we will no longer talk about the “military infrastructure”, about the “personnel” of the Ukrainian army. We will talk about the NATO army, equipped in the form of the Ukrainian army.
If we talk about partial mobilisation, then its impact on the course of military operations will be felt only in a few weeks. We are all waiting for a real return from the mobilisation that is taking place simultaneously with the steps taken to integrate four regions into the Russian state.
Rami Al-Shaer
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