{"id":353,"date":"2022-04-20T10:46:10","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T10:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diplomat.ie\/?p=353"},"modified":"2022-04-20T10:46:10","modified_gmt":"2022-04-20T10:46:10","slug":"speech-by-minister-coveney-at-un-security-council-meeting-on-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diplomat.ie\/index.php\/2022\/04\/20\/speech-by-minister-coveney-at-un-security-council-meeting-on-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Speech by Minister Coveney at UN Security Council Meeting on Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Thank you Madam President, and thank you Director General and Deputy High Commissioner.<\/p>\n

As we meet this morning, we do so in the shadow of a renewed offensive by Russian forces on Eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n

In the shadow of further bloodshed, further scenes of killing, further disregard for civilian lives \u2013 \u00a0and of continued blatant violations of the UN Charter.<\/p>\n

On Thursday of last week, I travelled to Kyiv. I did so because I wanted to see for myself the situation on the ground and to express Ireland\u2019s solidarity with Ukraine and its people.<\/p>\n

What I saw was profoundly shocking.<\/p>\n

During my visit, I went to Bucha. Until two months ago, it was a pleasant and vibrant town; a place where many of us around this table could have happily imagined living in.<\/p>\n

It now lies in ruins, with the stench of burning buildings and bodies in the air.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of family homes, shops and other civilian infrastructure: blackened, burnt, looted, damaged, and- in some cases \u2013 completely destroyed.<\/p>\n

Family cars, riddled with bullets, windshields smashed, bloodstains still evident.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been around long enough to know the difference between truth and staged propaganda when I see it.<\/p>\n

There was nothing fabricated about what I witnessed.<\/p>\n

I stood at the edge of one of the mass graves, where the work of carefully exhuming bodies continued. 503 civilians had been identified at that stage – and just 4 soldiers.<\/p>\n

503 individual human lives – men, women and children who were not combatants, yet who appear to have been deliberately killed and in some cases after having been tortured\u00a0 in the most brutal manner.<\/p>\n

We have seen, across Ukraine, explosive weapons – including prohibited cluster munitions \u2013 being used in populated areas and against civilian infrastructure. The toll of destruction of homes, hospitals and schools is testament to that.<\/p>\n

It does speak speaks to an utter disregard by Russian forces for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no spinning that reality away with disinformation.<\/p>\n

Madam President<\/p>\n

Ireland is a small country.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not a member of any military alliance.<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re certainly no superpower.<\/p>\n

But we fought to take a seat at this table and we have earned the right to be here.<\/p>\n

We did so because we fundamentally believe that, despite all the well documented flaws of this Council- and there are many- it is the ultimate arbiter on matters of war and peace.<\/p>\n

This group of 15 countries has been entrusted with protecting the weak and the innocent; with holding aggressors to account, no-matter how powerful they are.<\/p>\n

The only weapons we have are diplomacy, dialogue, facts, collective leadership and, most importantly, a shared commitment to international law and the UN Charter.<\/p>\n

Do we really have to keep repeating around this table that innocent civilians are never legitimate targets of war?<\/p>\n

That all parties to conflict must comply with international humanitarian law – including the prohibitions against indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks and the obligation- the obligation- to distinguish between civilians and combatants?<\/p>\n

These obligations are not optional – not least for those privileged enough to be seated around this table who should be leading by example.<\/p>\n

During my visit to Ukraine, so many people spoke to me about the urgent need for accountability to expose the horrors of what has happened to them, preferably in a court of law.<\/p>\n

In all situations where war crimes may have been committed, we must ensure that timely, credible investigations are undertaken; that evidence is rigorously documented; and that witnesses, victims and survivors are supported.<\/p>\n

And for that reason, Ireland has committed an additional \u20ac3m in funding to the ICC last week.<\/p>\n

Without accountability and truth, there is no hope of a sustainable peace; not in Ukraine, not anywhere.<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Madam President<\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s war has driven millions of Ukrainians from their homes, as we\u2019ve just heard.<\/p>\n

Almost 5 million people have become refugees and over 7 million people have become displaced internally in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

But the humanitarian consequences of this war are also being felt 1000s of miles from Ukraine, by some of the most vulnerable people on our planet.<\/p>\n

Countries across the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, but also in Latin America, are increasingly impacted by the severe economic consequences of this conflict.<\/p><\/div>\n

\nThe price of wheat and oil has risen by 300% in Somalia, where more than 700,000 people are already displaced by drought.<\/p>\n

Wheat reserves in Palestine could be depleted in less than three weeks time.<\/p>\n

As the UN Secretary General has said so clearly, the most vulnerable people around the globe cannot become collateral damage in yet another disaster for which they bear no responsibility.<\/p>\n

Ireland cannot, and will not, remain silent while this senseless and devastating war continues.<\/p>\n

Neither should any member of this Council.<\/p>\n

As it was on 25 February, so it is today – this is a war of choice. And it can end immediately if President Putin so decides.<\/p>\n

And yet, instead we are seeing a renewed offensive in Eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n

This is madness that history will judge harshly.<\/p>\n

We have to stop this war and this Council has a unique responsibility to do this. I want to call on Russia directly; agree to an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, commit to negotiations, and respect this Charter.<\/p>\n

We know that some progress was made in Istanbul between the parties on key issues. There is clearly a basis for a peace agreement. President Zelensky, to his credit, has constantly remained open to diplomatic solutions, in the face of aggression and brutality against his people.<\/p>\n

I hear the narrative, from far too many quarters, that peace is only possible after the battle for Donbas. I can\u2019t accept that logic; a logic that leads directly to further death, further suffering, further displacement.<\/p>\n

This Council must challenge that thinking, today and every day. We must demand more.<\/p>\n

Thank you, Chair<\/p><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thank you Madam President, and thank you Director General and Deputy High Commissioner. As we meet this morning, we do so in the shadow of a renewed offensive by Russian forces on Eastern Ukraine. 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As we meet this morning, we do so in the shadow of a renewed offensive by Russian forces on Eastern Ukraine. 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