General Assembly: 39th Plenary Meeting, 77th session

(p)The General Assembly adopted 11 resolutions today promoting cooperation between the United Nations and a host of regional and international organizations and appointed a member to its Independent Audit Advisory Committee.(/p)

(p)A draft on the United Nations cooperation with the Collective Security Treaty Organization ‑ which was adopted by a recorded vote ‑ drew both praise and criticism from Member States. nbsp;By its terms, the Assembly noted with appreciation the treaty organization’s significant practical contribution of to strengthen its peacekeeping capacities and the system of regional security and stability, to counter terrorism and transnational organized crime. nbsp;It invited both organizations to continue their interaction in the interest of the consistent and comprehensive implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, while also inviting increased cooperation between the treaty organization and United Nations system’s specialized agencies and programmes.(/p)

(p)Prior to the vote, Ukraine’s representative said he could not support cooperation between the United Nations and the armed forces of the Russian Federation, which are the core of the treaty organization. nbsp;The only right thing that can be done both from a moral and legal perspective is to request a recorded vote on the text, he said, adding that voting in favour of it would mean pressing the trigger of firearms aimed at Ukrainians on the front line.(/p)

(p)The representative of the Czech Republic, speaking on behalf of the European Union in its observer capacity, said the bloc can no longer support cooperation between the United Nations and the treaty organization seeing that the Russian Federation’s atrocities reported on a daily basis have indisputably stigmatized the treaty organization and created an unsurmountable obstacle for its cooperation with the United Nations.(/p)

(p)The delegate from the Russian Federation, however, said that the completely inappropriate letter from the Ukrainian delegation on the text is regrettable. nbsp;The Assembly has on many occasions adopted the draft by consensus; putting a technical draft to a vote will ensure that many similar texts come up for review.(/p)

(p)The Assembly also adopted by a recorded vote a draft on cooperation between the United Nations and the Central European Initiative, deciding to retain operative paragraph 3, in which it noted the Initiative’s contribution ‑ through increased political support and concrete assistance to Ukraine and its people ‑ to alleviate the serious consequences caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. nbsp;By other terms, the Assembly acknowledged the Plan of Action 2021–2023 adopted by the Initiative, noting that it was elaborated in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.(/p)

(p)The representative of Belarus, a treaty organization member, underscored the importance of systematic, consistent dialogue with the organization as a contemporary requirement for the sustainable development of nations and the maintenance of international peace and security. nbsp;As member States of the organization favour enhancing cooperation with the United Nations, he voiced his opposition to politicizing traditionally constructive international documents and processes.(/p)

(p)Likewise, the speaker for the Russian Federation said regional organizations could play a key role in identifying pathways to resolve conflict, but also expressed regret over the unnecessarily politicized wording of the two paragraphs in that text.(/p)

(p)The Assembly further adopted, without a vote, draft resolutions on cooperation between the United Nations and the following organizations: nbsp;Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries; Organization for Democracy and Economic Development ‑ GUAM; Commonwealth of Independent States; League of Arab States; Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL); and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).(/p)

(p)In other matters, the Assembly decided to reappoint Dorothy Bradley as a member of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee for a three‑year term of office beginning on 1 January 2023.(/p)

(p)Also delivering statements today were representatives of Panama, Cambodia (on behalf of ASEAN), Armenia (on behalf of the Collective Security Treaty Organization), Angola, Republic of Moldova, Kazakhstan, Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC), Bulgaria, Bahrain (on behalf of the Arab States), Canada, Slovakia, Bolivia, Argentina, Kuwait, Singapore, Poland, El Salvador, Croatia, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, Thailand, Iran, Czech Republic, Syria, China, Iran, United Kingdom, Belarus, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the United States and Australia.(/p)

(p)Observers for the League of Arab States and the INTERPOL also spoke.(/p)

(p)Representatives of Türkiye and Cyprus spoke in exercise of the right of reply.(/p)

(p)The Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 30 November, to consider the Question of Palestine, as well as the Situation in the Middle East.(br /)
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