Belarus MFA explains stance on Crimea UN vote

Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement explaining why it voted against the UN resolution on Crimea. 

Commenting for reporters, MFA spokesperson A. Shuplyak said: "Belarus always voted against any country resolutions. This is our principal stance. We know from our own experience what it means when it comes to attempts to politicize and inflate problems artificually, which in reality are non-existent in society or in the state."

According to the diplomat, the stance of Belarus is that such country resolutions should not be discussed and passed at the UN General Assembly. For that particular reason, some time ago Belarus proposed to remove the whole package of country resolutions from voting at the UN. However, that proposal was not approved.

"Voting against country resolutions is not a proof that Belarus neglects the concern of the initiating countries. Our voting against this document is an attempt to draw attention not only to its ineffectiveness but also to its destructive nature. Solutions to the existing problems cannot be found without a persistent search for ways and possibilities to bring positions closer outside accusatory resolutions,"  the MFA representative stressed.

On 19 December, the UN General Assembly approved the Ukraine-proposed resolution on human rights in Crimea and Sevastopol, with 70 countries having voted in favor, 26 against. 76 countries abstained. The document was backed by the majority of European countries, United States, Georgia. The list of those voting against includes Russia, China, Belarus, India, Serbia, Armenia, Cuba, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzsta, Uzbekistan, South Africa and others. Many Middle East countries, Egypt, UAE, Oman, Brazil, Salvador, Chile abstained.

Belarus' voting in the UN outraged numerous Ukrainian politicians. Ukrainian MP Refat Chubarov proposed to look for a replacement to Minsk as a venue for negotiations on the crisis in eastern Ukraine.