ROME, 22 DECEMBER – At the UN a large majority of countries, acting on input by Europe and the United States, still deplores the Russian aggression against Ukraine as a violation of the inviolable principles of the Charter. This has not changed since last February, the United Nations the situation on the crisis in Ukraine “remains as outlined in February”, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Permanent Representative of Italy at the Glass Palace, told the Italian News agency ANSA. That said, “on a whole series of other measures against Russia the positions are much more diverse”, Massari added in the interview at the margin of the Conference of Ambassadors underway in Rome.
More than 120 ambassadors and 150 guests attended the conference. In the interview Massari discussed also the issue of human rights in Iran: “The expulsion from Tehran of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was an unprecedented event” and “an important signal also for other countries where similar violations of women’s rights might take place”, said the Ambassador, who starting in January will join as vice-president on the board of UN Women.
Back to Ukraine, Massari recalled that only forty countries apply sanctions against Russia. “When it comes to discussing new resolutions, such as the creation of a special tribunal on war crimes, the numbers are uncertain. Countries in the Southern hemisphere have different perspectives on this issue,” the Ambassador explained.
In wider terms, the conflict in Ukraine is seen differently “by the North and the South of the world”. Developing countries consider it “one of many conflicts”. They are mostly concerned about the consequences for them, in terms of food insecurity, energy, inflation, impact on sovereign debt. For this reason, Massari stressed, it will be important to “close the gap”. (@OnuItalia)
