UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres attends the 14th ASEAN-UN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on October 11, 2024. | Photograph credit score: AP
India was a notable exclusion from a letter signed by 104 international locations, together with European and African international locations, in addition to a lot of the International South, that “condemned” Israel for banning United Nations Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres from coming into Israeli territory. .
Whereas India has damaged with the International South on a sequence of resolutions crucial of Israel, abstaining on a minimum of 4 of these necessary resolutions on Palestinian points, the choice to not signal the letter circulated by Chile and supported by Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Uganda, Indonesia, Spain, Guyana and Mexico is especially important provided that it’s thought of a protection of the UN Secretary Common and the UN itself, not of any of the events to the battle.
Most neighboring international locations in South Asia, in addition to West Asia, South America and Africa (which make up the growing world) signed the letter that was circulated on the UN final week.
The letter stated the 105 signatories, together with 104 member states and the African Union, expressed “deep concern and condemnation” over Israel’s choice to declare the Secretary-Common persona non grata. “Such actions undermine the power of the United Nations to hold out its mandate, which incorporates mediating conflicts and offering humanitarian assist,” the letter stated.
Israel’s order, declaring Mr. Guterres persona non grata (PNG) on October 2, had been issued by his Overseas Minister, Israel Katz, who accused the UN Secretary Common of not criticizing the Iranian missile assaults towards Israel a day earlier, “unequivocally”, though Mr. Guterres had issued statements concerning Iran’s actions each earlier than and after the ban. Katz stated that, as a consequence, Guterres “didn’t should set foot on Israeli soil.”
“As Member States of the United Nations, we name to respect the management of the UN and its mission,” says the letter launched by the Chilean Overseas Ministry. “We reaffirm our full assist and confidence within the Secretary Common and his work,” he added. The letter follows the same present of assist for the UN Secretary-Common after the 15-nation UN Safety Council issued an announcement final week saying that “any choice to not have interaction with the Secretary-Common of the UN or the United Nations is counterproductive, particularly within the context of escalating tensions within the Center East.”
The Chilean letter was endorsed by a minimum of 10 of the UN Safety Council members, together with France, Russia, China, Slovenia and Switzerland, though america, United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea didn’t signal it.
The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) didn’t reply to requests for touch upon why India didn’t signal the letter. On October 4, the MEA spokesperson had stated that for India, Mr. Guterres is the UN Secretary Common, and “what anybody else says about it, what a 3rd individual says shouldn’t be our space of perspective.” not a subject to touch upon.” with out commenting on the ban itself.
Revealed – October 12, 2024 10:51 pm IST