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Maintaining its neutral stance, India has abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories, stating that it is consistent with New Delhi’s “well thought out national position” and calling for a diplomatic solution.
On Wednesday at the Assembly’s emergency session, the resolution received 143 votes, with only five countries voting against it and 35 abstaining, and passed with the required two-thirds majority, demonstrating Russia’s isolation.
The Assembly action followed Moscow’s veto of a similar Security Council resolution on October 1.
Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj explained India’s decision, saying that with its “firm resolve to strive for a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy, India has decided to abstain.”
Simultaneously, she criticized Russia without naming it: “We have consistently advocated that no solution can ever be reached at the expense of human lives.” It is in no one’s best interests to escalate hostilities and violence.”
She cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying that “this cannot be an era of war.”
She also cited External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s September speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he implied support for Ukraine in the conflict, saying, “We are on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles.”
In the run-up to today’s Assembly vote, India had voted with the West and in opposition to Russia on three procedural motions that did not affect its neutrality in a substantive way.
India also voted against the recent Security Council resolution, as well as the two General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia in March.
Last week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Prime Minister Modi as part of a diplomatic push for support for the resolution.
According to the External Affairs Ministry, during the call, the Prime Minister told Zelensky that there could be no military solution and that dialogue was the only way to end the conflict. He also expressed India’s willingness to contribute to peace efforts.
According to the ministry, he also emphasized the importance of respecting nations’ territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Before the vote in the Assembly, Russia’s Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenza reiterated Moscow’s claims that Ukraine’s four regions had voted in the 90 per cent range in referendums to join Russia.
Because the referendums were held under military occupation, Ukraine and several other countries have labeled them an illegal sham.
Nebenza accused Western countries of threatening nations with economic sanctions if they did not vote with them and demanded a secret ballot, which the Assembly rejected.
Moscow maintained its four votes in the two Assembly resolutions from March, though Eritrea abstained this time and Nicaragua switched sides to support Russia.
China abstained from voting.
Despite launching a high-pressure diplomatic campaign, the West received only two more votes than the first resolution in March and three more than the second.
Speaking before the vote, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield appeared to take a hard line against diplomacy and dialogue that she saw as placatory.
“The path to peace does not run through placations. The path to peace does not involve turning the other way in the face of these flagrant violations”, she said.
“The only way to bring peace is to stop this aggression, to demand accountability, to stand together with conviction, to show what we will not tolerate”, she added.
Pakistan also put on a show during the Assembly session, sticking to its gimmick of bringing up Kashmir regardless of the topic on the agenda.
Kamboj dismissed it as an attempt to take advantage of the UN forum by making “frivolous and pointless remarks.”
Munir Akram, Islamabad’s Permanent Representative, who abstained on the resolution, said he hoped for “similar concern or condemnation” of what he called India’s “illegal annexation” of Kashmir.
According to India, the people of Kashmir have exercised their right to self-determination by voting in multiple elections and electing governments.
Kamboj called on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism while declaring, “The entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India irrespective of what the representative of Pakistan believes – or covets.”
While explaining India’s abstention, she said, “The path to peace requires us to keep all channels of diplomacy open. We, therefore, sincerely hope for an early resumption of peace talks to bring about an immediate ceasefire and resolution of the conflicta.”
“India stands ready to support all such efforts aimed at de-escalation,” she said.
The global South has suffered collateral damage from the conflict’s effects on fuel, food and fertiliser, Kamboj said.
“We must therefore not initiate measures that further complicate a struggling global economy,” she said.
Ukraine’s Permanent Representative Sergiy Kyslytsya told reporters after the session that the vote was “historic” and that the fact that only four countries participated was “very bad” for Russia.
The resolution was supported by Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Nepal, while Sri Lanka abstained.
Afghanistan and Myanmar, which are still represented by overthrown elected governments, voted in favor of the resolution.
Source:OCN
