Ottawa, 23 December 2022 (TDI): The Foreign Affairs Office of Canada welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) adoption of Resolution 2669 on Myanmar.
The statement said that Canada stands ready to support the end of violence & implementation of the ASEAN 5-point consensus as suggested by UNSC.
UNSC resolution on Myanmar
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in more than seven decades. It expresses “deep concern” at the situation that has engulfed the country since the military coup of February 2021.
The British-drafted resolution was approved by 12 of the UN Security Council’s 15 members, with India, China, and Russia abstaining.
The resolution calls on the country’s military rulers to release all political prisoners, including democratically-elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“Today we’ve sent a firm message to the military that they should be in no doubt. We expect full implementation of this resolution.” United Kingdom’s UN ambassador, Barbara Woodward, said after the vote.
“We’ve also sent a clear message to the people of Myanmar that we seek progress in line with their rights, their wishes & their interests,” Woodward continued.
The resolution upheld the 5-point ASEAN consensus adopted in 2021. It includes an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties, and the appointment of a special envoy.
Also read: ASEAN pledged humanitarian aid for Myanmar
It also demands humanitarian assistance, and the special envoy’s visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties. Notably, Myanmar’s military seized power from Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021, arresting her and other officials.
The military has responded to pro-democracy protests and dissent with lethal force that has killed several thousand people and seen more than 16,000 jailed.
Abstaining countries
China and Russia along with India abstained from voting on the resolution. The Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, told the council after abstaining on the vote that there is no quick fix to the issue.
In this vein, he added, “Whether or not it can be properly resolved in the end, depends fundamentally, and only, on Myanmar itself.”
Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said Moscow did not view the situation in Myanmar as a threat to international security. Therefore, it is believed that UN Security Council has no right to deal with it.
Also read: UNSC adopts Resolution 2634 (2022)
It is pertinent to note that this historic resolution is the first one adopted in 76 years. In the last resolution, UN General Assembly admitted the country, then known as Burma, as a member of the world body.
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