YouSaid · the spoken record

Rybakov

lines on the record: 95
first: 2012-12-20
most recent: 2023-08-03
sittings or episodes: 13
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Those who have devised and implemented the sanctions are violating the most basic human right — the right to life — condemning millions of people to starvation and death. Western States must stop using illegal unilateral sanctions as their preferred instrument of war. That would be their true contribution to ensuring global food security.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Reports and studies by authoritative international organizations and agencies, such as the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Fertilizer Association corroborate Belarus’ own assessments that the current shortage of potash fertilizer on world markets will significantly reduce crop yields and will inevitably cause a sharp rise in food prices. Many farmers have already been forced to cut back on production, as the fertilizers that they require have become more expensive than the grain that they grow and sell. Illegal sanctions are a weapon of war. They have been unilaterally imposed against the Republic of Belarus in violation of all norms of international law without the approval of the Security Council under spurious pretexts.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We should also keep in mind that many countries on the continent had received all their entire supply of fertilizer from Belarus, while a number of other countries had met 50 per cent of their fertilizer needs with potash from Belarus. The effects of the fertilizer shortage throughout the world have already spilled over from corn and wheat to all major staple crops, including rice, which in the near future will inevitably have a devastating impact on the lives of billions of people in Asia and South America. At future meetings, rather than the lack of access to fertilizer, we will be forced to discuss horrifying statistics concerning the victims of starvation, owing to the lack of food.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The illegal unilateral actions of Lithuania and other Western countries to block supplies of Belarusian fertilizer have already jeopardized the food security of not only individual countries, but entire regions and continents. Our country’s market share of potash fertilizer in Africa fell from 42 per cent to 3 per cent in 2022. According to our estimates, based on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the virtual disappearance of Belarus from the list of potash suppliers last year led to a 16 per cent drop in Africa’s grain harvest. In 2023, Belarusian potash supplies to Africa are completely paralysed, owing to Lithuania’s actions.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Removing fertilizer from fields means a drop in crop yields of at least 50 per cent. One out of two people in the world depends on agricultural products that have been grown with fertilizers. Belarus is one of the largest producers of potash fertilizers in the world. Before the illegal termination of the transport of Belarusian potassium through Baltic Sea ports, which, incidentally, constitutes a direct violation of the rights of a landlocked country, Belarus’ share in the world potash fertilizer market was approximately 20 per cent. Just think about it: one out every five tons of potash fertilizer in the world had come from Belarus.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“At various levels and in different forums, we have repeatedly drawn the international community’s attention to the fact that the sanctions illegally imposed on Belarus by Western countries, including against its potash fertilizer sector, have had extremely negative consequences for global food security. At the same time, we can say with conviction that the infamous exemptions from such sanctions, which are often publicly announced, including today in this Chamber, are divorced from reality and do not work. Sanctions are fully blocking the export of fertilizers and foodstuff from Belarus. Potassium is crucial to maximizing crop yields. Fertilizer determines future harvests. Half of the food consumed by the world’s population is produced owing to fertilizer.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Mr. Rybakov (Belarus) (spoke in Russian): Belarus aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. We thank the delegation of the United States of America for the opportunity to discuss global food security. Belarus cannot support the joint communiqué. The text of the document was not submitted for our consideration in keeping with best democratic practices, nor were there any consultations or opportunities provided to propose changes or amendments. The document does not say a word about one of the main threats to food security, namely, illegal unilateral sanctions.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“It is that principle that enables us to avoid dictating and imposing unacceptable decisions. Only with the consent of all concerned will any initiative be effective and equitable. Multilateralism means taking collective action and making joint efforts to resolve common issues. We believe that the United Nations plays a key role in combating efforts to undermine multilateralism. The United Nations is the universal platform with the greatest legitimacy and normative capacity in an interdependent world to respond to challenges and threats, on the basis of dialogue, mutual understanding, tolerance, mutual respect, solidarity and consensus, in the interests of political and economic development, social progress, peace and security, respect for human rights and the rule of law.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Therein lies the value of consensus-based decision-making. In the light of the statements made by some partners about the need — and in some cases the demand — to reconsider traditional forms of seeking mutually acceptable solutions, the proposal issued a few days ago by the High-level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism is particularly worrisome. It relates to the possibility of redefining or even abandoning the notion of consensus. According to the proposal, “consensus is extremely ineffective and unjust, allowing a small number of States to block actions that are clearly needed to address issues of global concern”. We strongly reject that approach. In that regard, we recall the principle of sovereign equality, on which the Organization was founded, whereby the voice of every State is equally important.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Here are just a few of the reasons for that grim reality — the attempts of some countries to ignore the goals and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, or even to replace them with a set of so-called rules that are unknown to the majority of States and imposed solely to serve their own interests; selective approaches to the implementation of the norms of international law or their arbitrary interpretation; the failure to comply with obligations under international agreements and treaties to which the members of the international community are parties, including on the basis of claims of exclusivity; the revival of bloc mentality and the opposition to the emergence of a multipolar world. True multilateralism is not possible without dialogue and compromise that take into account the interests of all parties concerned.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Despite that unprecedented external pressure, Belarus is open to returning to normal relations with all countries in all areas, but not at the expense of its national interests and values. Today the future of multilateral cooperation and the role of the United Nations are at stake. Throughout its history, the Organization has been successful in several areas. But now, more than ever before, the world needs a platform for true multilateral cooperation based on the principles of the sovereign equality of States, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and respect for all the legitimate concerns of States as they pertain to issues related to security and development. Achieving the goals of the Charter of the United Nations remains difficult.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“The unilateral coercive measures instituted against more than 30 sovereign States, whose implementation is in violation of all norms of international law, have negatively affected the quality of life of more than one third of humankind. Sanctions are a modern form of neocolonialism. Sanctions have essentially become an everyday tool used by Washington and its satellites to exert pressure on countries that have their own opinions and that they find unsatisfactory. Belarus has never initiated any restrictions to cooperation with the United States or the European Union. In violation of all norms of international law, political, trade, financial and other sanctions have been imposed on our country, which limits the development of ordinary people.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Mr. Rybakov (Belarus) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Russian presidency for convening this Security Council meeting on an extremely timely subject. Today we are all witnessing a global political, social and economic transformation — a transition towards a multipolar world order. It is not easy to give up the privileges that we have assumed and accept current realities. In the struggle to preserve a unipolar world order and its structured monopoly, we are seeing an entire arsenal deployed of political, economic and security instruments such as sanctions, the incitement of political, social, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural unrest and the intentional destabilization of entire regions’ security.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“I can assure members that that document would have no less — perhaps more — value than the one that it has submitted. I would like to reiterate that, incidentally, that is a brilliant example of the behaviour of Security Council Member States that are fully dependent on others for their opinions. It is another reminder to all States Members of the United Nations about how carefully they should approach their decisions when voting in elections for the non-permanent members of the Security Council. In that regard, I would like to recall the fact that Security Council elections will take place in June of this year, together with the artificially created politicized competition in the Group of Eastern European States.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Albania is submitting documents of private figures, who represent no one but themselves and who are funded entirely by Western sponsors. Perhaps it is time for the taxpayers of those countries to ask their Governments how much money is being spent on the so-called Belarusian opposition, who exactly is paying from what sources and why. Apparently, they must be rich enough that they can spend such sums on fugitive citizens of Belarus, rather than on addressing the problems of their own countries. By the way, this is another glaring example. If I may, there was something else about which we were just thinking. We can give Albania, for example, a verbatim of a conversation between some old ladies in front of their home discussing issues of international security.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“For example, they should address the problems of the current and future pensioners and the problems of the current, past and, maybe, future Presidents. We have repeatedly said, and we reiterate, that they should not interfere in our internal affairs. They should deal with matters in their own countries and genuine human rights issues with regard to a decent life, health and security. They should not even try to speculate about the desires of the Belarusian people in taking the most important internal political decisions in their country. They do not have the slightest idea what the Belarusian people really think. Let me now turn to the circulation by Albania of a document within the Security Council, which was also mentioned today. If it wants to turn the Security Council archives into a dustbin, it is on the right track.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“We call on Ukraine not to stop halfway and to resolutely and courageously demand that NATO stop the practice of joint nuclear missions and that the United States withdraw its nuclear weapons from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Türkiye, which, to use the terminology of Ukraine and some countries represented here, should clearly be considered occupied States or countries being held hostage. Incidentally, Ukraine could ask the next President of the Security Council to convene a meeting to consider this issue comprehensively and perhaps adopt a decision. We would also like to appeal to all to all those eager to address the human rights problems that supposedly exist in Belarus. We suggest that States first deal with their own problems in their own countries.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Belarus is a staunch proponent of constructive and respectful dialogue aimed at strengthening regional and global security, as well as multilateral mechanisms for disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, including in the nuclear arena. President Lukashenko has repeatedly and openly called for the convening of such a broad multilateral dialogue in the spirit of San Francisco. We are grateful to Ukraine for bringing this issue up at today’s Security Council meeting. We believe that the Security Council and the entire international community must finally pay close attention to the genuine threats posed by NATO’s joint nuclear missions and the long-term deployment of nuclear weapons by the United States outside its national jurisdiction.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“As we are all aware, NATO has a long-standing practice of carrying out so-called nuclear-sharing missions. Members know quite well that a number of aircraft belonging to NATO member countries have been certified to fly with nuclear weapons, while flight crews are being trained to carry out such missions and joint exercises are being conducted. Moreover, a number of European NATO members — including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Türkiye — are hosting on their territories more than 150 tactical nuclear weapons from the United States, as well as more than 250 aircraft prepared for their possible use.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Today, just a few hours ago, Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, delivered an address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly, Belarus’s parliament, in which he responded openly and in detail to all questions related to the plans to strengthen Belarus’ security and defence capacity, among other things. In his statement, President Lukashenko underscored that this is not a matter of blackmail nor intimidation. Belarus is not going to attack first, but it will respond appropriately, using all existing capacities at its disposal, to any external aggression. Incidentally, such cooperation between Belarus and Russia is nothing new when it comes to military cooperation between a non-nuclear and a nuclear Power within the framework of the NPT, and much has also been said about that today in this Chamber.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“The training that Russia has provided for Belarusian pilots capable of operating aircraft carrying specific munitions, the appropriate modernization of such aircraft and the possible — I emphasize “possible” — deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory also constitute an exceptional and necessary response to the challenges and risks confronting Belarus. The measures are being implemented in strict compliance with the provisions of the NPT. Control over the nuclear weapons, as well as the relevant technology, remains with Russians. Under the NPT, nuclear-weapon States cannot transfer nuclear weapons or control of such weapons to any recipient whatsoever, and non-nuclear-weapon States cannot receive nuclear weapons or control them.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Given the circumstances I mentioned and the resulting legitimate national security concerns and risks, Belarus has been consistent and transparent with its neighbours and the international community in its position and has found itself compelled to respond by developing its own defence capabilities. Those actions are exclusively reactive in nature and are aimed at strengthening our own security and defence capacities. Belarus’s cooperation with the Russian Federation, its main military and political ally, on strengthening its defence capabilities and national security is strictly in line with international law.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Trade, visa, banking and other prohibitions and restrictions have been imposed on the Belarusian Government and legal entities and individuals by the United States, the United Kingdom and their NATO allies, as well as by European Union member States. Such bans and restrictions constitute direct and blatant interference in the internal affairs of an independent State and have the clear objective of altering Belarus’ geopolitical direction and domestic political order. The unilateral coercive political and economic measures have been accompanied by military build-up in the immediate vicinity of Belarus’s borders on the territory of neighbouring NATO member States.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“In December 1994, the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum on security assurances in connection with Belarus’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In doing that, they undertook an obligation to guarantee Belarus’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and to refrain from any coercive political or economic measures. For a long time now, the Republic of Belarus has been subjected to unprecedented political, economic, financial and informational pressure, in direct violation of the Budapest Memorandum, about which so much has been said here.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“Mr. Rybakov (Belarus) (spoke in Russian): The Republic of Belarus has been a consistent advocate of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation processes. The contribution that Belarus has made to global nuclear disarmament is clear and indisputable, and its significance has been repeatedly affirmed in numerous documents agreed at bilateral and multilateral levels. In 1993, Belarus made a conscious choice to renounce nuclear weapons and accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), becoming the first State in the post-Soviet space to voluntarily renounce the possibility of possessing nuclear weapons without any conditions or reservations.”
2023-03-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9300 (2023) · source
“In an interview yesterday with members of the mass media, President Aleksandr Lukashenko comprehensively answered their questions on the current and most critical issues of the day. I encourage everybody to read the interview itself, not the articles, commentary on or interpretations of it. The meeting rose at 12.10 p.m.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“Even if we lose, we will do it with dignity, and we are grateful to the countries that have already shown their support for us. I can only assure the Council that if we are elected, we will follow a principled, independent, responsible and honest policy. People often accuse Belarus of playing the role of co-aggressor. They are the same “peace-loving countries” that have the effrontery to blame us, while flooding Ukraine with deadly weapons and doing everything to ensure that as many people as possible continue to die for as long as possible. Belarus has already made huge efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and remains sincerely interested in ending it peacefully as soon as possible.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“As is well known, in 2006, Belarus presented its candidacy as a non-permanent elected member of the Security Council for the period from 2024 to 2025. The elections for that will be held on 8 June. For 15 years, Belarus was the only candidate to represent the Group of Eastern European States for that term. On 9 December 2021, Slovenia filed its candidacy for the same seat, although it had already presented its candidacy in 2017 to represent the Group for the period from 2042 to 2043. I hope that everyone is well aware that that was not Slovenia’s sovereign decision, and we do not hold a grudge against it. But I believe that the political motivation of such an anti-Belarus step should be clear to everyone. Are we afraid of losing the election, given the scale of the anti-Belarus campaign? No, we are not.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“Just in case, I would like to recall that the document pertains not only to Ukraine but also to Belarus. It obliges its signatories to refrain from taking any coercive economic measures against the countries that have voluntarily given up their nuclear weapons, including Belarus. I believe that everyone here is well aware of the large-scale war of economic sanctions that the West is collectively waging against Belarus and its attempts to strangle our country economically and politically, in contravention of the Budapest Memorandum. We have reached a point where this war has for some time also been being waged on the platform of the United Nations. Let me give a concrete example — and by the way, any country could find itself in this situation.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“Instead, another draft resolution accusing the Russian Federation of aggression will be submitted to the General Assembly, which does not include a single word about the true causes of the current conflict — the eight-year destruction of the residents of Donbas, the revival of Nazism in Ukraine and the active efforts of the West to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russia. Today, a week before the emergency session, I can say that the Republic of Belarus will not participate in that spectacle. But we will vote against the draft resolution unless it is amended beforehand to specifically include a paragraph condemning in the strongest terms the actions of the officials whom I just quoted. One of the speakers mentioned the Budapest Memorandum earlier.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“So why do the current members of the Security Council not properly assess such voluntary admissions? They have the authority to do so. Why do they remain silent? Did we vote for the elected members of the Security Council so that they could remain silent in such situations? Incidentally, why not do it at the upcoming resumption of the emergency session of the General Assembly, or at yet another Security Council meeting, where they could perhaps invite or persuade the officials I mentioned to hold them to account? Sooner or later, they will have to answer for their actions and words, if not in a real court or tribunal, then at least to be judged by history.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“All the comments I have cited remind me of a bumper sticker I once saw in New York a few years ago. I believe that it perfectly captures the attitude toward these kinds of officials. It reads, (spoke in English) “Some politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often, and for the same reason.” (spoke in Russian) The statements that I cited earlier confirm that high-ranking politicians, even if they are no longer in those positions, lied to their negotiating partners, their own people, the Security Council and the entire international community. And it does not matter when they lied, whether it was eight years ago or today, or whether it was based on their personal short-term interests or the evolving political situation. The key point is that they lied.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“They gave Ukraine eight years to build an army, an economy and a global pro-Ukrainian, anti-Putin coalition.” In a recent interview, the current President of Ukraine added a finishing touch to the comments I just cited by noting that the Minsk agreements could not have been implemented at all owing to some sort of “deliberate mistake”, thereby effectively confirming that the death sentence of the peace process in Ukraine had been handed down long before the full-scale armed conflict. Regarding the brief response by Mr. Surkov referred to just now, while I am not about to interpret his meaning, I read it a completely different way to the representative of Ukraine. Unlike the representative of Ukraine, I will not cite classic literature but something rather more earthy.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“The Ukraine of 2014 and 2015 is not the Ukraine of today. I doubt very much that at the time the NATO countries could have done as much as they are doing now to help Ukraine.” Another eminent peacemaker who happened to take part in the negotiation process in Minsk wrote, “Since 2014, Ukraine has strengthened its military potential. It is completely different. It is better trained and equipped. It is the merit of the Minsk agreements that they have given the Ukrainian army this opportunity.” A former President who promised to bring peace to Ukraine and whom the Ukrainian people believed at the time said in an interview, “Do you know how the Minsk agreements have succeeded?”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“The responsible implementation of the agreements in practice could have put the peace process in Ukraine on a stable, positive trajectory. That did not happen. We all know this perfectly well, and that is long in the past now. As a matter of fact, it has become crystal clear today that that could not happen. Eight years later, both the leadership of Ukraine and former leaders of Western countries are openly declaring not only that the Minsk agreements were officially signed without any original intention of implementing them, but also that the negotiation process as a whole was being used solely for military preparations in order to resolve the conflict by armed means. One Head of Government said, “The 2014 Minsk agreements were an attempt to give Ukraine time; Ukraine also used that time to become stronger, as you can see today.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“Mr. Rybakov (Belarus) (spoke in Russian); Eight years ago, on 12 February 2015 in Minsk, after lengthy negotiations an agreement was signed on a package of measures aimed at implementing the Minsk agreements. On 17 February 2015, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2202 (2015), on Ukraine, calling on all parties to ensure the full implementation of the Minsk II agreements, including the cessation of hostilities stipulated therein. The long-awaited outcome of negotiations in the Belarusian capital was to become the basis of the peace process in Ukraine. The inhabitants of long- suffering Donbas, the whole of eastern Europe and, without exaggeration, perhaps the entire world believed the promises of politicians and States guarantors of the agreements.”
2023-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9262 (2023) · source
“Sooner or later, they will be cast out, either by their own people or by the millions arriving from those countries that they are trying to destroy, who will come not in search of their mythical human rights as the West understands them, but for a piece of bread to feed their families and their children. And there will be a place for the West’s leaders in history not as politicians, but as criminals and mass murderers. The meeting rose at 11.45 a.m.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“The lack of Belarusian potash fertilizer in the world markets — given that, according to certain statistical calculations, the Republic of Belarus produces as much as one third of the world’s potash fertilizers — will lead to the needless death by starvation of additional tens of millions of people. To those who are developing and implementing the sanctions, I want to say that they are depriving people of their most fundamental right, the right to life, and yet they have the nerve to lecture us on how we should be complying with human rights — as they understand them, of course.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“That is a legal decision by the courts of the Republic of Belarus, a State that fully adheres to the rule of law, unlike certain other countries. I would also like to say a few words with regard to the many accusations against Belarus that we have heard in this Chamber today about alleged violations of human rights. Some of the versions of events provided are far-fetched, to say the least. In any case, I will speak briefly on human rights. In that connection, I would like to remind the Council about the illegal sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilizer, among other things. Of course, while potash fertilizer is not a foodstuff, we all know that it is essential to ensuring future harvests.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“Even in that online format, the Belarusian side submitted working documents on aviation security for consideration by the session, but they were blocked by Western countries, only confirming the West’s desire to compel international organizations — in this case, ICAO — to act in their particular political interests, even when that was to the detriment of flight safety. Mr. Protasevich’s name has been mentioned several times here, since he is supposedly the reason why the incident in question occurred. Mr. Protasevich has prepared a video address to the Council specifically for this meeting, and a link to it can be found on the Belarusian Permanent Mission’s Twitter account. Anyone can listen to what Mr. Protasevich has to say, but I would ask them not to be distracted when he says that he is still under house arrest.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“I would like to remind the Council that Belavia, Belarus’s national airline, was practically the only carrier that transported and rescued citizens of Western countries, at their States’ request, during the pandemic in situations of total lockdown, for which it was profusely thanked at the time by both nationals and representatives of those States. Another outrageous fact is that the members of the Belarusian delegation were ready to hold a substantive discussion on all of these issues at the forty-first session of the ICAO Assembly, but Canada would not grant them visas and they were therefore forced to participate in the session virtually. It was clear that the organizers of that performance simply did not want to receive uncomfortable answers to any of their questions.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“The Fact- Finding Investigation Team itself acknowledged that there was no escort, interception or forced landing of Ryanair Flight FR-4978 by any military aircraft in the airspace of Belarus, which indicates that the captain of the foreign aircraft personally and independently made the decision to land at Minsk National Airport. Those indisputable facts, which, by the way, were acknowledged by the Fact-Finding Investigation Team, did not prevent Western countries from immediately accusing Belarus of forcibly landing the aircraft — even words such as “air terrorism” were uttered here today. And almost immediately after the incident, those countries imposed sanctions not only on Belarus’ national airline, Belavia, but also on their own national airlines, which were banned from using Belarusian airspace.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“The fact that the report uses information from an anonymous source in the absence of proper technical expertise is unacceptable. In addition, the written testimony of the air traffic controller who was present, which Belarus duly provided to ICAO, was not taken into account. We have stated that the content of the alleged audio recording supposedly made by air traffic controllers and submitted — very conveniently — by United States authorities to the ICAO Fact-Finding Investigation Team is fraudulent and a forgery. Let me turn to the most important point.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“As has already been mentioned today, the position of the Republic of Belarus on that report was circulated as official document of the General Assembly on 27 July under agenda item 88, entitled “Strengthening and promoting the international treaty framework” (see A/76/909 annex). Belarus will never accept the conclusions of the report, which is based on incomplete information and lacks the necessary international cooperation, which is also noted in the report. We have not received answers to key questions sent to other countries involved with the aim of conducting an objective and comprehensive investigation. Also, additional information from Belarus was not requested. The report is full of mistakes and inaccuracies and uses non-aviation and biased approaches.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“The very establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Fact-Finding Investigation Team to investigate the event involving Ryanair Flight FR-4978 in the airspace of Belarus on 23 May 2021 contradicts the mandate of the organization and sets a dangerous precedent of manipulating the foundations of civil aviation safety. The report of the ICAO Fact-Finding Investigation Team, which was written hastily and under the pressure brought to bear by certain Western countries, is not a consensus report, is biased and lacks objectivity. Incidentally, that point was also brought to the attention of the participants at the recently held forty-first session of the ICAO Assembly.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“Mr. Rybakov (Belarus) (spoke in Russian): For many years now, Western countries have been waging a large-scale political, economic and information war against the Republic of Belarus. Economic terrorism is being used, including the imposition of numerous sanctions to economically strangle our country and its people, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. They have also grossly violated the provisions of the Budapest Memorandum — to which delegations in this Chamber often like to refer — under which Belarus voluntarily gave up the most modern nuclear weapons of the time without receiving anything in return. The convening of today’s meeting is yet another manifestation of the war.”
2022-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9175 (2022) · source
“We will continue doing everything possible to support what was started by the President of Belarus, namely, a dialogue to make sure that the conflict in Ukraine ends as soon as possible, and we stand ready to contribute to ensuring global food security. We once again call upon the sponsors of sanctions to heed the voice of the international community and stop using this destructive mechanism.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“The sponsors of unilateral restrictive restrictions should give serious thought to their policies, which they should start to rectify in a comprehensive and flexible manner by giving up their political prejudices. We think that there is still time to make the right decision. We agree with the appeal made by the Secretary- General to lift the sanctions and reintegrate into world markets food produced and fertilizer manufactured in Belarus. This will be an important step towards ensuring international food security. We in Belarus stand ready to work with all interested parties and will consider any and all constructive proposals without any political prejudices.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“We recall that long before the conflict in Ukraine Belarus was subjected to sanctions imposed because the West did not like the outcome of our presidential elections, and one of the reasons offered was the alleged demand by the people of Belarus for sanctions. It was said that the sanctions would bring freedom to the people of Belarus because the “sanctions are freedom” and “sanctions liberate”. We had heard statements like that before when the word “work” was used instead of “sanctions”. It was said that work makes people free, and I am certain that this phrase, which was placed at the entrance of Nazi concentration camps is remembered by one and all in this Chamber; we certainly will never forget it.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source
“As a result, the World Bank tells us that agricultural prices in 2022 are 43 per cent higher compared to last year, and each percentage point of increase in food prices will lead to an additional 10 million people finding themselves in abject poverty. Today the Secretary- General, in this very Chamber, talked about the 30 per cent increase in the prices of staple foods, which is a direct threat to people in Africa and the Middle East. We regret the fact that even under current conditions, the sponsors of restrictions are busy looking for reasons for introducing ever-new sanctions, while in parallel they state that the conflict in Ukraine is a source of all the ills of humankind, forgetting the many conflicts in other regions of the world.”
2022-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9036Resumption1 (2022) · source