Alkalaj at the General Assembly: UN must no longer wait to resolve the Ukrainian conflict

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The United Nations General Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution today condemning Russia's aggression and invasion of Ukraine.

The resolution will demand that Moscow cease hostilities and withdraw its military forces, writes mirror.co.uk.

By Tuesday evening, almost half of the General Assembly's 193 members had signed up to the resolution before Wednesday's vote, diplomats said.

Among them is Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose ambassador Sven Alkalaj addressed the General Assembly.

We present Alkalaj's speech below:

"- Bosnia and Herzegovina agrees with the statement of the European Union.

As we speak, the world is facing one of its most acute security crises since World War II. Right now, the attack on Ukraine is claiming new civilian casualties, fighting is ongoing, the UN Charter is being ignored and violated, while half a million civilians are already internally displaced or forced to flee across the international border into neighboring European countries. The Ukrainian government estimates that in the worst-case scenario, as many as five million people will become refugees or be displaced. Innocent people always pay the highest price, and the most vulnerable suffer the most. As the death toll rises, we see images of fear and terror in every corner of Ukraine. What message can the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina send, a country that has suffered aggression, a brutal occupation that lasted almost four years, faced an arms embargo, where genocide was committed thirty years ago, and almost half of the population was systematically killed, displaced, or expelled.

The situation unfolding in Ukraine, unfortunately, resonates very close to home. Therefore, there is no more time to wait. As a result of the conflict, millions of Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance. We call on both sides to respect international humanitarian law and guarantee unimpeded and continuous access for humanitarian workers, including UNHCR and other UN agencies, as well as national and international non-governmental organizations, to deliver aid to all people in need.

The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina recognize the brave women and men of Ukraine fighting for their sovereignty and freedom. Bosnia and Herzegovina remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as we are to all United Nations member states. This is the foundation of the UN Charter, which we did not expect to be challenged in such a brutal way by one of the founders and creators of this organization itself. It may be superfluous, but it should be noted that the permanent members of the Security Council have a special responsibility to uphold the Charter.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has serious global implications. The disregard for the fundamental principles of international law, the UN Charter, and the basic principles of international relations directed towards another state causes serious concern. These rules apply to everyone. We call on all international organizations, especially international courts and tribunals, to closely monitor the developments on the ground and assess any violations of international law, including international humanitarian law. The Security Council, which according to the UN Charter has the obligation and general powers to maintain international peace and security, has unfortunately failed in this case so far. Negotiating peace must continue to be the goal of any military solution to the crisis. We reiterate the Secretary-General's call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the commencement of bilateral negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, in accordance with the UN Charter.

We had little hope as the first attempt at bilateral negotiations between representatives of Ukraine and the Russian Federation began yesterday. I hope that all parties will make additional efforts to stop the bloodshed and return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.

Mr. President,

We are facing an unprecedented international situation, where the use of nuclear weapons is becoming an option. Are we, as a global community, ready to put this generation of children before this challenge? Have we, as the United Nations, utilized all available means in accordance with the UN Charter, including Chapter 7, which allows the Security Council to take enforcement measures regarding threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression. I hope the United Nations will not wait long and allow many more civilians and innocent people to suffer and be killed, displaced, or expelled, before taking appropriate measures to end this brutal bloodshed, as was the case in my country thirty years ago.

At the end of this session, the UN will vote on a draft resolution condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. BiH will vote YES and call on all member states to do the same.