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WORLD NEWS Thursday 3 March 2022
U.N. Assembly votes to demand that Russia stop war in Ukraine

By EDITH M. LEDERER and of the situation in Ukraine"
JENNIFER PELTZ and calling what is unfold-
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — ing "heart-wrenching." He
The U.N. General Assembly reiterated Beijing's support
voted at an emergency for the sovereignty and ter-
special session Wednesday ritorial integrity of all coun-
to demand an immediate tries, and for the peaceful
halt to Moscow's offensive settlements of all disputes
against Ukraine and with- in line with the U.N. Charter.
drawal of all Russian troops, "The top priority right now
with very strong support is to ease the situation on
from the world organiza- the ground as much as
tion's 193 member nations possible, and prevent the
that sparked sustained ap- situation from escalating
plause. or even getting out of con-
The vote on the resolu- trol," Zhang said.
tion, entitled "Aggression The assembly resolution,
against Ukraine," was 141-5 co-sponsored by 96 coun-
with 35 abstentions. tries, deplored Russia's "ag-
Russia got support for its gression" against Ukraine
appeal to vote against the "in the strongest terms" and
resolution only from Belarus, demanded an immediate
Syria, North Korea and Er- halt to Moscow's use of
itrea, a powerful indication force and the immediate,
of the international isola- complete and uncondi-
tion that Russian President tional withdrawal of all Rus-
Vladimir Putin faces for in- United Nations members vote on a resolution concerning the Ukraine during an emergency meet- sian forces from Ukraine's
vading his country's smaller ing of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. internationally recognized
neighbor. Emphasizing that Associated Press borders.
isolation was a major goal The measure also called on
of the resolution's support- those countries voting, and urged U.N. members to side in the conflict, with Ry- Russia to reverse a decision
ers. abstentions don't count. vote against the resolu- bakov saying the resolution to recognize two separatist
The abstentions included After Russia vetoed a simi- tion, alleging that Western a reflected a "double stan- parts of eastern Ukraine as
China and India, as ex- lar resolution in the Security nations exerted "unprec- dards" toward Russia and independent.
pected, but also some sur- Council on Feb. 25, Ukraine edented pressure" with the West. During more than two days
prises from usual Russian al- and its supporters won ap- "open and cynical threats" U.N. Secretary-General An- of meetings preceding the
lies Cuba and Nicaragua. proval for an emergency to get support for the mea- tonio Guterres told report- vote, there were speeches
And the United Arab Emir- special session -- the first sure. ers immediately after the from about 120 countries.
ates, which abstained on since 1997 -- to try to spot- "This document will not al- vote: "The message of the From the tiny Pacific island
last Friday's similar Security light opposition to Russia's low us to end military ac- General Assembly is loud nation of Palau to Europe's
Council resolution, voted invasion. tivities. On the contrary, and clear: End hostilities economic powerhouse
"yes." The resolution states that it could embolden Kyiv in Ukraine — now. Silence Germany, country after
Speaking to the General Russia's military operations radicals and nationalists the guns — now. Open the country lashed out at Rus-
Assembly on Tuesday, Cu- in Ukraine "are on a scale to continue to determine door to dialogue and di- sia's invasion of Ukraine
ban Ambassador Pedro that the international com- the policy of their country plomacy — now." and urged support for the
Luis Cuesta blamed the munity has not seen in Eu- at any price," Nebenzia "We don't have a moment U.N. resolution during their
crisis on what he said is the rope in decades and that warned. to lose," he said. "The brutal speeches. There were only
U.S. determination to keep urgent action is needed "Your refusal to support effects of the conflict are a few that supported Russia
expanding NATO toward to save this generation today's draft resolution plain to see … It threatens and some that took no po-
Russia's borders as well as from the scourge of war." is a vote for a peaceful to get much, much worse." sition such as Suriname and
the delivery of modern It "urges the immediate Ukraine" that would not "be U.S. Ambassador Linda South Africa, which urged
weapons to Ukraine, ignor- peaceful resolution of the managed from the out- Thomas-Greenfield fol- compromise and diploma-
ing Russia's concerns for its conflict" and reaffirms the side," he said. "This was the lowed, saying "the world cy to find a lasting resolu-
own security. He said the assembly's commitment "to aim of our special military has spoken with a clear, tion to the crisis. In Wednes-
resolution "suffers from lack the sovereignty, indepen- operation, which the spon- united voice" and the vote day's vote, Suriname voted
of balance" and doesn't dence, unity and territorial sors of this resolution tried to "demonstrated that Russia "yes" and South Africa ab-
begin to address the con- integrity of Ukraine within its present as aggression." is isolated and alone, and stained.
cerns of both parties, or internationally recognized The resolution also deplores that the costs will keep ris- The resolution's co-spon-
"the responsibility of those borders." "the involvement of Belarus ing until Russia relents." sors included Afghanistan,
who took aggressive ac- Before the vote, Ukraine's in this unlawful use of force She urged all countries to where the Taliban ousted
tions which precipitated U.N. Ambassador Sergiy against Ukraine," a char- "keep the momentum go- the elected government
the escalation of this con- Kyslytsya said of Russian acterization that Belarus- ing," do everything possible last August, and Myanmar,
flict." forces: "They have come to sian Ambassador Valentin to help the Ukrainian peo- where the military over-
Unlike Security Council res- the Ukrainian soil, not only to Rybakov flatly rejected in ple, hold Russia account- threw the elected govern-
olutions, General Assembly kill some of us ... they have his speech to the assembly able and "match our strong ment led by Aung San Suu
resolutions are not legally come to deprive Ukraine of shortly before the vote. words with strong actions." Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. But nei-
binding, but they do have the very right to exist," add- He said his country's only In his explanation of Chi- ther the Taliban nor Myan-
clout in reflecting interna- ing that "the crimes are so involvement in the conflict na's abstention, Ambassa- mar's military government
tional opinion. Under spe- barbaric that it is difficult to was organizing talks, due dor Zhang Jun used more have gained U.N. recogni-
cial emergency session comprehend." to continue Thursday, be- emotional language than tion so that support came
rules, a resolution needs Russia's U.N. Ambassa- tween Russia and Ukraine. at previous U.N. meetings, from representatives of their
approval of two-thirds of dor Vassily Nebenzia then Belarus has taken Russia's citing "dramatic changes previous governments.q