News

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius participated in the UN Security Council open debate on Maintaining International Peace and Security:  reflect on history, reaffirm the strong commitment to the purpose and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Speaking at the debate, Linkevičius stressed the significance of the end of the World War II and victory against Nazism. However, he underlined that Nazism in Lithuania was succeeded by Stalin’s totalitarian regime, occupation and exiles. “14 million people, including 300,000 Lithuanians, were exiled to the Soviet Gulags in Siberia, Central Asia and beyond the Polar Circle. When paying tribute to those who helped end the Holocaust and defeated Hitler, we cannot lose sight of the victims of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century,” he said at the Security Council.

According to the Minister, for Lithuania, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary of the re-established  independence, the principles of the UN Charter are fundamental. The attempts of Russia, the permanent member of the Security Council, to redraw the map of Europe by force are in breach of those principles and pose threat to international peace and security. “The fact that the permanent member of the UN Security Council violates the norms and principles of the UN Charter, raises great concerns. Permanent members of the Security Council were granted special status to maintain international peace,” stressed the Minister. “Whereas Russia is constantly violating sovereignty of its neighbours.  This is obvious in eastern Ukraine, Moldova’s Transnistria, Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia and Russian-backed separatists continue to violate the Minsk Agreements, the Resolution of the Security Council adopted just last week,” said Linkevičius.

The debate at the UN Security Council organised by China’s presidency was attended by Foreign Ministers of China, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Russia, Venezuela, Ukraine, Serbia and high level representatives of other countries. In March, the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council will be held by France. Lithuania will hold the presidency of this UN body in May. The situation in Ukraine, fight against illicit trade in small arms and the protection of journalists are among the priorities of the Lithuanian presidency.

Photo: UN/Devra Berkowitz.