India on Sunday abstained from a UN Security Council (UNSC) procedural vote to call a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the issue of Ukrainian invasion of Russia.
“Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment. It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution,” India’s permanent ambassador to the UN TS Tirumurti said in a statement.
India urged the involved parties to return to the path of diplomacy and expressed concerns on the deteriorating situation in Ukraine.
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“… it is regrettable that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further… We reiterate our call for immediate cessation of violence and an end to all hostilities. There is no choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue,” Ambassador Tirumurti asserted.
The resolution was successfully adopted with 11 votes in its favour, three abstentions (India, China, UAE) and Russia voting against it.
As the voting was procedural, the vetoes by the five permanent members of the Security Council cannot be exercised.
The special General Assembly session will be held within the next 24 hours after the adoption of the resolution.
“The Security Council, at its fourth meeting on the situation in Ukraine in the last week, called an emergency special session of the General Assembly in the next 24 hours at which the world body can decide whether to use armed force, when necessary, to maintain or restore international peace and security,” a UNSC press release said.
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“By a recorded vote of 11 in favour to 1 against (Russian Federation), with 3 abstentions (China, India, United Arab Emirates), the Council adopted resolution 2623 (2022)… taking into account that the lack of unanimity of its permanent members at its meeting on 25 February has prevented it from exercising its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,” the press release further read.
The Security Council last voted for a special UNGA meeting in 1982 regarding the situation involving Israel and Syria.
“Under General Assembly resolution 377A(V), the world body resolved that if the Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, it shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures,” the release states.
India had on Friday abstained on an UNSC resolution which would have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia had vetoed its adoption.
