PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on human rights situation in Ukraine [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 July 2023.
Statement on cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights, as delivered by UK Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.
Thank you Mr President,
Let me first thank our Ukrainian colleagues for presenting this resolution. We commend the approach they have taken, to table a short technical resolution. We appreciate how difficult it must have been to show such restraint given the horrific realities of Russian aggression.
We are dismayed that we must vote again on an Item 10 resolution. A resolution that seeks to promote human rights in the country concerned, Ukraine. A country that openly collaborates with OHCHR, with full dialogue and fruitful cooperation, unlike the Russian aggressors who continue to deny even the most basic access to the UN. There is no reason that this text should be voted, or indeed that any Member of this Council should do anything other than vote in favour.
All States in this chamber are parties to the UN Charter. That means all here support its aims to maintain international peace and security. All here should be ‘friends of the Charter’. Yet we have seen blatant disregard of the Charter for over 500 days in Ukraine. 500 days of atrocities. War crimes. And possible crimes against humanity. All since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
We have nothing but admiration for the work of the High Commissioner’s team in Ukraine. They do invaluable work to provide guidance, monitoring and indeed challenge to the Ukrainian Government, and this must be maintained. Particularly now, as the human rights situation in Ukraine is confronted by the realities of Russia’s brutal aggression.