News

On 30 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius continued his visit to New York and took part in the United Nations Security Council’s debate on the settlement of conflicts in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister stressed the need to address the underlying causes of terrorism and to strive to ensure that there is accountability for terrorist acts.

“The United Nations Security Council has established a normative base for combating terrorism, including a statement on foreign terrorist fighters, which was adopted during Lithuania’s Security Council Presidency. In order to tackle terrorism we must take full advantage of all available tools to end the impunity of terrorists,” said Linkevičius.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister drew attention to the fact that the UN Security Council had failed to act early and forcefully on the crisis in Syria. Four resolutions concerning Syria were vetoed. According to the Minister, the succession of vetoes aimed at defending the interests of the Syrian regime and failed to protect Syria’s civilian population. Those who vetoed the respective resolutions are responsible for the tragedy of the country’s civilian population and refugee flows along with the Syrian Government.

Linkevičius expressed hope that the UN Security Council would support the efforts of the European Union to fight against the organizers and executors of illegal immigration by the Mediterranean Sea, and will endorse the Security Council’s draft resolution on migration, which was submitted by European countries.

“Moreover, we should not forget refugees from Ukraine. Due to the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea, over 5 million Ukrainians are dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival,” said Linkevičius. He underlined that the decision taken by the Russia-supported separatists to expel humanitarian assistance organizations from separatist-controlled territory was criminal and would further aggravate the conditions of the local population.

The United Nations Security Council’s debate on the settlement of conflicts in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism was organized by Russia, which held the Security Council Presidency in September. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and high-ranking representatives of more than 70 member states of the UN gave speeches during the event.