NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations on Wednesday delivered a carefully worded speech at the emergency session of the UN General Assembly, calling for de-escalation of tensions and sustained dialogue.
While Ambassador Munir Akram did make a speech at the UNGA, Pakistan abstained from the voting on a resolution that deplored Russia’s military action against Ukraine.
The resolution, which won support from 141 of the 193-member body, came at the end of a rare emergency session of General Assembly called by the Security Council and as Russian forces pounded Ukraine’s cities with air strikes and bombardments, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee.
China, India and Bangladesh among other countries also abstained from voting.
In his speech, Ambassador Akram did not condemn Russia for its military action against Ukraine though emphasised: “Pakistan is committed to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter: self-determination of peoples, non-use or threat of use of force, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and pacific settlement of disputes.”
