Виступ делегації України на засіданні РБ ООН щодо підсумків роботи в серпні

Mr. President,

We appreciate this opportunity to discuss in the open chamber the work of the Council in August. It is only the second time this year that the Council is holding such a briefing since Ukraine’s Presidency in February. We welcome the return of formal wrap-up sessions and hope incoming presidencies will revive this practice, which is in line with President’s Note 507.

We also thank you personally and commend the Egyptian delegation for exercising responsibilities of the Presidency throughout the month in a transparent and professional manner.

Despite the fact that August is usually a rather slow month, this year it was quite packed. We had some important discussions and adopted a number of really landmark decisions.

Mr. President,

Right at the outset of your Presidency, the Council adopted resolution on preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons. Considering the spread of terrorism around the world today, as well as deep involvement of certain states in supporting terrorist activities abroad, we commend the Egyptian delegation for coming forward with this initiative, which is very timely. We do expect that all Council members, having unanimously adopted this resolution, undertook to respect the obligation not to support and supply terrorists with weapons. Failure to do so will undoubtedly have grave consequences and violators will pay a price for their transgressions.

In this regard, it is crucial that the Council follows closely how the resolution is being implemented thus making yet another tangible contribution to the international efforts to combat this scourge.

Another subject that we discussed early in August was sanctions. It is no secret that there is quite a plethora of views on the subject — from denial of the legitimacy of such a tool to overblown expectations that through sanctions anything can be achieved. The truth is probably somewhere in between.

Ukraine is convinced that sanctions can and do work — when and if implemented in good faith by all members of the international community. We have to remember, that sanctions’ effectiveness depends on their thorough implementation by all stakeholders without any exception. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Thus, it is a joint moral duty of all responsible members of the UN family to work to prevent obstruction and evasion of existing sanctions. Otherwise, the whole international endeavor would be undermined and the very idea of sanctions would be gradually discredited.

In this regard, specialized and regional international organizations can play an important role in ensuring proper implementation of sanctions. The use of additional measures and organizations’ own specific instruments to better respond to breaches of peace and other grave violations of international law is an essential part of the international toolbox in this area.

Mr. President,

In August, the Council adopted an important decision to introduce additional sanctions against the DPRK. It was a difficult but nonetheless unavoidable step since the Council has a duty to ensure accountability for actions that violate established international norms and principles. North Korea’s behavior in advancing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs is nothing but one of the most vivid examples of blatant violations of the international law. Besides engaging in the misguided and reckless effort to create its own nuclear arsenal instead of improving living conditions of its people, the DPRK spares no effort to find new ways to circumvent established restrictions and prohibitions.

The gravity of the situation is highlighted by the recent ballistic missile launch and we welcome yesterday’s unanimous and firm reaction of the Council.

The international community must work diligently to thwart and penalize any attempt to undermine the existing legally binding arrangements in the nuclear sphere. Without a resolute stance on this issue there is little hope for eventual eradication of the WMD threat globally.

Ukraine, being one of the champions of the global nonproliferation regime, will continue contributing to international efforts to achieve a denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, which is essential to remove the risk of unnecessary provocations, and curb the DPRK’s misplaced nuclear and missile ambitions.

Mr. President,

Turning back to the agenda item of our meeting I would like to welcome the agreement of the Council’s members on the revised and updated Presidential Note 507 on working methods. Our congratulations to the delegation of Japan and all members of the Council for their constructive efforts in preparing and negotiating the text. The Note adopted today will serve as important guidelines for the Council to make its work more efficient and transparent.

In conclusion, congratulations on your successful Presidency.

And to our Ethiopian colleagues, who have a privilege and an utmost responsibility of directing the Council’s work in September with heads of states and governments converging in New York, I would like to convey a message of our full support.

Thank you.