Kicking Russia from UNHRC may prove devastating - Russian envoy to UN
Russia’s deputy envoy to the UN warns that Moscow’s possible suspension from the United Nations may have devastating consequences for the UN body.
The possible suspension of the Russian Federation from the United Nations Human Rights Council may have devastating consequences for the UN, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, wrote on his Telegram channel.
The UN General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a draft resolution that would have Russia suspended from the Human Rights Council. The draft resolution, which was put together by the US and other Western countries, would require a two-thirds majority of assembly members to vote in favor.
"It is a symbolic step by the US and its allies, which is fraught with devastating consequences for the UN system," Polyansky said. He further added that the situation is one of Western countries seeking to undermine UN institutions under the guise of punishing Russia.
"By doing so, they risk destroying the foundations of the current multilateral system that came to be after World War II which protects the planet from World War III," the diplomat said, further pointing out that the US rejected the HRC in 2018, and made consistent attempts to undermine its role, and is now ironically portraying itself to be a fighter for the Council’s cause.
The US representative to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Wednesday that expelling Russia from the United Nations Security Council will be impossible, although Western countries will do the maximum to isolate Moscow.
Washington and its allies, according to Thomas-Greenfield, have been working to exclude Russia from the UN human rights council.
On its account, Russia has stated that the attempt to expel it from the Human Rights Council is political and is being supported by a number of countries in order to maintain their dominant position and control over the world, and to continue "the politics of neo-colonialism of human rights" in international relations.
The forthcoming move to expel Russia came after revelations that a massacre was committed in Bucha. Kiev's forces say it was committed by Russian troops, while Russia says it withdrew four days earlier, and that it was in fact Kiev's troops that murdered the civilians.
Russia called for a Security Council meeting on Bucha, but it was blocked by the UK.