The foreign ministry on Sunday said Bangladesh had abstained from voting the latest UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on ‘Just Peace in Ukraine’ as an "important practical point" was missing in it.
“While the ultimate objective of the current resolution is to seek a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, we believe that any meaningful and sustainable solution to the current conflict must need intensive diplomatic engagement and dialogue between the parties involved in the conflict,” Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said.
“To our opinion, this important practical point is missing in the resolution. Therefore, we were constrained to Abstain,” she said while reading out the government’s arguments behind the abstention from the voting.
“Guided by Bangabandhu’s philosophy of ‘Friendship to all and malice towards none’, Bangladesh pursues a peace-centric foreign policy, which is based on the principles of respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity of all states, peaceful settlement of international disputes, and respect for the principles enunciated in the Charter of the United Nations.
“Bangladesh continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine, particularly the loss of (civilian) lives, deteriorating humanitarian situation in the conflict zone and consequential socio- economic fallout around the globe.
“We call for a cessation of hostilities and remain steadfast in our commitment that purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld at any cost.
“In this regard, we see the importance of urging the UN Secretary-General and Member States to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in the proposed resolution.
“We also firmly believe that peaceful settlement of international disputes must be complied with universally for everyone, everywhere under all circumstances, without exception,” read the statement.