Pakistan hopes diplomacy can avert Ukraine-Russia conflict

NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram has said that 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. Addressing the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Ambassador said Pakistan upholds the principle of equal and indivisible security for all. These principles must be consistently and universally respected. He said Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the recent turn of events. This reflects a failure of diplomacy. Munir Akram said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine, and said that Pakistan had hoped that diplomacy could avert military conflict. The Ambassador said we have since repeatedly stressed the need for de-escalation, renewed negotiations, sustained dialogue, and continuous diplomacy. He said all efforts must be made to avoid further escalation of violence and loss of life as well as military, political and economic tensions which can pose an unprecedented threat to international peace and security and global economic stability. As consistently underlined by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the developing countries are hit the hardest economically by conflict anywhere. He hoped that talks initiated between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine will succeed in bringing about a cessation of hostilities and normalization of the situation. A diplomatic solution in accordance with relevant multilateral agreements, international law, and the provisions of the UN Charter is indispensable.