Meeting with Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Organization Valentin Rybakov

As one of the countries that founded the United Nations Organization Belarus cannot observe what is going on in the organization with calm. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he met with Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Organization Valentin Rybakov on 27 July.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “The United Nations Organization. What is it nowadays? What are the prospects of this organization from your point of view? Well, and what should we do in this organization? Naturally as one of the organization’s founding countries we cannot calmly watch what is going on over there. We’ve discussed the matter with the Russian president. I see that the UN Secretariat, a working body has already started working from the point of view of giving some preferences to one or two countries or to the West or the East. I mean this organization is kind of evolving into some servant organization. More depends on major powers. It is abnormal. Considering the pressure that major powers, the West exercise.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned the Russia-Africa summit, which is taking place these days, and the terrible pressure that the United States of America and Western Europe brought against its participants. “It is abnormal,” he stressed.

“One starts wondering: what do we do? I would like to hear out your point of view,” Aleksandr Lukashenko told Valentin Rybakov.

The president asked questions about the work of Belarus’ mission to the UN. He wondered whether the mission is present there only pro forma and what it can really do. “For instance, if Western countries have virtually refused to cooperate with us, well, we are now transferring diplomats to the areas where we need to work, where it is necessary to build up positions and the situation. Should we do the same to the United Nations Organization and treat it the way we treat Western states?” the Belarusian leader wondered.

During the meeting Valentin Rybakov confirmed that criticism of the United Nations Organization began virtually since the moment the organization was founded and there are definitely things the organization and its secretariat should be criticized for. At the same time the United Nations Organization is more than a building or the secretariat. “It is 193 countries together with us. And as a founder of this organization Belarus actively works in it. We don’t prioritize work with international functionaries. We work with the countries that are represented in this organization,” Valentin Rybakov said.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has instructed to step up work of the country’s permanent mission to the United Nations Organization.

Valentin Rybakov said: “The president gave a number of instructions to step up work of our permanent representation in the UN with UN member states. We will continue doing it. There are a number of avenues where we very successfully work. Some of the avenues were born after speeches by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. In particular, the matter of fighting trafficking in persons, some other matters. This is why we will continue working actively, cooperating with countries, and promoting our national interests.”