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Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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23Aug14
Russia tells UN SC it sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine with Kiev's consent
Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin has likened Friday evening's discussion on the situation in Ukraine to what he described as a Kingdom of Curved Mirrors. He explained he got this impression because some SC members looked worried not so much about the humanitarian disaster in the east of the country as the Russian truck convoy that had delivered humanitarian aid to Lugansk.
"What was happening in the UN Security Council reminded me of a Kingdom of Curved Mirrors, because some members did not care at all civilians were dying in the east of Ukraine. Nor did they care about the humanitarian disaster there. They were mostly alarmed by Russia's humanitarian aid being delivered to people in the line of fire," the diplomat said.
Churkin explained that Russia was keeping in touch with the Ukrainian authorities and hoped that there would be no problems with the delivery of humanitarian aid to its destination.
"After that discussion the tensions in the Security Council over the issue eased somewhat," Churkin said.
He addressed the SC members with a fresh reminder that Russia had dispatched humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine only when it had official consent from that country's government.
"As far as reproaches about respect for sovereignty are concerned, I can say once again that we received official consent from them. We discussed that issue. If they deceived us, it is their problem. We just wish to give help to those who need it," Churkin said.
According to the Russian diplomat, during the just-held discussion he recalled that the Security Council last July voted for Resolution 2165, which authorized direct supplies of humanitarian assistance to Syria without the country's government.
"It was something new from the legal standpoint and it cannot but be borne in mind. As for Ukraine, it can well be said that we have the government's consent," the diplomat added.
He said that some UN SC members, including China and Latin American countries, responded with understanding to the Russian position.
[Source: Itar Tass, United Nations, 23Aug14]
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