Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 24 October (BelTA) – Belarus that became one of the UN founders 72 years ago does its best to make its cooperation in the United Nations Organization as meaningful as possible, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas said at a briefing to celebrate the United Nations Day on 24 October, BelTA has learned.

“Not everyone in the world consider the UN an efficient instrument of influence on the climate of international relations. Someone believes that the principles the UN is based on are desperately idealistic or even naпve. I think that the charter of the UN idealistic foundation has its true strength. The UN as a format of peaceful and benevolent cooperation between its member states is not an easy, ready-to-use instrument. The UN is a historical opportunity and a civilized challenge. The UN is the understanding of the diversity of our world as a source of the exceptional transforming force, its intellectual and spiritual wealth,” Andrei Dapkiunas said.

According to the deputy minister, “The biggest, not yet learned, lesson that the UN can give is to understand the human value of ordinary compassion”. “Belarus, through the defending of its principles of friendship and compassion in the UN, the overriding priority of true mutual understanding between people and secondariness of documents that do not retain such mutual understanding, does its best to make its cooperation in the Organization as meaningful as possible,” Andrei Dapkiunas said.

He also noted that Belarus continues to insist on comprehensive understanding and the global use of the experience in overcoming the consequences of the largest man-made nuclear catastrophe. "Chernobyl is not only a cross of Belarus, but also an opportunity for the country to share with the world its deeper understanding of the complex and delicate relations of man with the environment, the foundation of sustainable ecologically healthy development," the deputy minister said. He drew attention to the fact that a number of topics in the UN are associated specifically with Belarus. In particular, these are the issues of protecting the family and family values, promoting multilingualism in international organizations and preserving cultural diversity.

The briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs marked the 25^th anniversary of signing the agreement between the United Nations and Belarus on setting up of the UN transitional division in Minsk and the start of the work of the UN team in the country. The briefing was co-organized by the UN Office in Belarus. Taking part in the event was UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus Sanaka Samarasinha, representatives of the UN country team, diplomats, NGOs, the private sector, and institutions of higher education.

The briefing focused on Belarus’ cooperation with the United Nations Organization and also foreign states on joint projects within the UN, milestone events, and future prospects.