NEW YORK, March 5, (Agencies): Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mansour Al-Otaibi has stressed the need to respect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. In his address to the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the conflict in Ukraine, he urged immediate halt to the bloodshed, noting that diplomacy is the only recourse. The UNGA session was discussing Ukraine crisis after the UN Security Council failed to shoulder its responsibility for addressing a serious threat to peace and security not only in Europe by the entire world as well, Ambassador Al-Otaibi noted. The multi-polar world order, based on respect for the international law and the UN Charter, undergoes critical and delicate conditions that brought to the test the UN ability to defend its founding objectives laid down 76 year ago, he reminded.

The escalating hostilities resulted in serious tragedies, including scores of casualties among civilian population and extensive material damage, which require from all of us to stand in unison against the conflict and work for activating the mechanisms of peaceful settlement, he urged. Welcoming the Ukrainian-Russian talks, held in Belarus, the Kuwaiti envoy voiced hope for holding more rounds of talks with a view to reaching a peaceful solution. Ambassador Al-Otaibi stressed Kuwait’s commitment to the principles of the international law and the UN Charter, noting that these principles materialized the concept of collective security. Kuwait staunchly rejects the use of, and the threat to use, force as a means of settling disputes among different countries, he said, noting that the UN Charter provides he said, noting that the UN Charter provides the necessary legal parameters for governing the international relations.

He voiced profound concern over the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, reiterating the call for commitment to the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law, the human rights and the UNSC resolutions relating to protection of civilian lives and infrastructure. He reminded the warring parties of the need of greater political will to address problem pursuant to the UNSC Resolution 2474, unanimously adopted in 2019 on persons reported missing during armed conflict. Ambassador Al-Otaibi renewed Kuwait’s support to the efforts of UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres as well as the UN and regional organizations to deescalate the conflict and ensure civilians’ access to humanitarian aid. The Kuwaiti Cabinet earlier held an extraordinary meeting to follow up on the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine military confrontation on all levels to ensure the country’s security and provision of all necessary needs to citizens and expats. The Cabinet, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, listened to a presentation by Foreign Minister, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Defense Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al- Mohammad Al-Sabah on the international developments politically.

The minister stressed Kuwait’s firm and principled stance rejecting the use of force against countries. Kuwait is following, with great concern and regret, the deteriorating situations and growing tension in Ukraine, the minister said. The State of Kuwait underlined the importance of adhering to the principles of international law and the UN Charter that govern relations amongst states, based on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and the principles of good neighborliness, and resolving disputes peacefully.

Kuwait asserted the necessity of respecting Ukraine’s independence and affirmed its full support to all international efforts aimed at de-escalation, self-restraint, settling international disputes by peaceful means, and taking necessary measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety, Sheikh Ahmad Nasser said. The State of Kuwait has stressed the importance of unifying Arab position on the Ukrainian crisis in line with international law and the United Nations (UN). This came in a speech by the Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser Al-Qahtani, when he chaired the extraordinary session of the Arab League Council at the level of permanent delegates, according to Egypt’s request to discuss the current developments in Ukraine.

He stressed that the emergency meeting reflects the great concern of the Arab states of the Ukraine developments and its repercussions on global and Arab security and stability. Kuwait’s embassy in Russia had warned its nationals to keep some cash in hand after a temporary limit on daily cash machine withdrawals was placed amid the possibility of restrictions being placed on the use of overseas bank-issued credit cards. Many airlines have suspended their flights to and from Russia, the embassy went on to warn, with some domestic flights also halted, after European countries closed their airspace to Russian aviation, with only limited commercial options remaining for those who wish to travel. The embassy also urged Kuwaitis to steer clear of crowded places, to keep their personal identification documents with them at all times and to keep a watchful eye over developments through local and international media. In the event of an emergency or an urgent situation, Kuwaiti nationals may contact the embassy on +7 925 631-13-13.

The U.N. General Assembly voted at the emergency session Wednesday to demand an immediate halt to Moscow’s attack on Ukraine and the withdrawal of all Russian troops, with sustained applause breaking out after a formidable show of support among the 193 member nations against the invasion. The vote on the “Aggression against Ukraine” resolution was 141-5, with 35 abstentions. It came as Russia bombarded Ukraine’s second-largest city and besieged two important ports, and a huge convoy of Russian military vehicles was poised outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Only Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea joined Russia in opposing the measure, a powerful indication of the international isolation that Russian President Vladimir Putin faces for invading his country’s smaller neighbor - and that the resolution’s supporters sought to emphasize. The abstentions included China and India, as expected, but also some surprises from usual Russian allies Cuba and Nicaragua. And the United Arab Emirates, which abstained on Friday’s similar Security Council resolution, voted “yes.” Cuba had spoken in Russia’s defense on Tuesday, with Ambassador Pedro Luis Cuesta blaming the crisis on what he said is the U.S. determination to keep expanding NATO toward Russia’s borders and on the delivery of modern weapons to Ukraine, ignoring Russia’s concerns for its own security. He told the assembly the resolution “suffers from lack of balance” and doesn’t begin to address the concerns of both parties, or “the responsibility of those who took aggressive actions which precipitated the escalation of this conflict.” Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do have clout in reflecting international opinion. Under special emergency session rules, a resolution needs approval of two-thirds of those countries voting, and abstentions don’t count.

From Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden called the special session historic and a demonstration of “unprecedented global unity.” “An overwhelming majority of the world recognizes that if we do not stand up to Putin’s Russia, it will only infl ict further chaos and aggression on the world,” Biden said in a statement. After Russia vetoed a similar Security Council resolution Friday, Ukraine and its supporters won approval for the assembly to hold an emergency special session -- the first since 1997 -- to try to spotlight opposition to Russia’s invasion. Deploring Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine “in the strongest terms,” the measure demands an immediate halt to Moscow’s use of force and the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces.