A/75/PV.83 General Assembly

I take to the rostrum with a heavy heart, for during the seventy-fifth session of the General Assembly we have borne witness to the deterioration of the situation in Myanmar. Political turmoil has given way to an increasingly militarized Myanmar. From the collapse of civilian rule to arbitrary arrests and indiscriminate attacks against civilians by the military, Myanmar is not a safe place for the people whom we pledged to serve. As a result of the deteriorating political situation, humanitarian needs are growing. We will hear a detailed update from the Special Envoy about the current situation, but know this: communities are being uprooted as tens of thousands of people flee violence. The safety of those internally displaced people is at present uncertain, as humanitarian access remains restricted in all conflict-afflicted areas owing to insecurity, banking disruptions, road blockages and pre-existing access challenges. Civilians are in acute need of food and shelter, as well as hygiene and sanitation facilities. Water-borne diseases are threatening the most vulnerable people, who are contending with the early arrival of the rainy season. I ask Member States, in the midst of a global pandemic, how are we going to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease in Myanmar if people cannot safely socially distance, wash their hands, wear masks or get vaccinated? The multiplicity of threats facing the country is staggering. This is not just a crisis for the people currently in Myanmar; it is also a crisis for the more than 1 million displaced Rohingya people who have found safe shelter in Cox’s Bazar. I commend the Government of Bangladesh for stepping up to meet the needs of its most vulnerable neighbours in their darkest hour. I was proud to represent the General Assembly on a recent visit to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. Upon arrival, the threat of a cyclone loomed large. I have truly never experienced destructive rain like that in all my life. It was a stark reminder that we cannot underestimate the impact extreme weather has on the Rohingya and their host community. There is a watch tower in Camp 8W from where you can see the full expanse of the camp. As far as the eye can see it is camp structures. Think about that for a moment — you literally cannot see life beyond the camp. The Rohingya cannot see life, or a future, beyond that camp. The community leaders I met were clear in their message: they are grateful for a safe shelter, but they want a better future. Frankly, they deserve a better future. Their resilience is unmatched. In particular, the women I met in the camp remain undefeated despite the unimaginable horrors they have survived. They are continuing to fight — not just for their own survival but for that of their children, their community and their people. They need their rights to citizenship and freedom of movement to be upheld. A voluntary, dignified and safe return is the ultimate goal, but that is contingent on conditions in Myanmar rapidly improving. They cannot do that alone. They need the full support of the General Assembly. They need those with influence in the region to step up and advocate for their future. I welcome the united voice of the Security Council on the issue of Myanmar, and I hope that will continue. I also welcome the engagement of regional organizations, in particular the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The international community must continue to stand united in its support for the people of Myanmar and for peace and stability in their country. A system built on brutality and bloodshed will not survive. It is not too late for the military to reverse the negative trajectory on the ground, exercise restraint and respect the will of its own people. We must raise our voices for those who have been silenced, detained, injured or killed. We must be ardent advocates for the protection of all fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and peaceful assembly, which have been repeatedly infringed upon by the militaryled authorities. Heinous acts of violence against civilians and young people — including sexual and gender-based violence against women protesters — cannot continue. The indiscriminate use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable. I call for the immediate release of all of those arbitrarily detained and full and unimpeded humanitarian access, which is necessary to protect those most at risk. Above all, I call for peace in Myanmar. Draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1, which is before the General Assembly, is another step in that direction. I hope that it can be adopted by consensus. For when it comes to Myanmar, we must act as nations united. I trust that Member States, as guardians of the Charter of the United Nations, will join me in this call for peace. I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1.

I have the honour and pleasure to introduce draft resolution A/75/L.85/ Rev.1 on behalf of the members of the core group and the additional co-sponsors listed in the draft resolution, as well as Angola, Australia, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand, which have become co-sponsors since its submission. The total number of co-sponsors currently stands at 58. When the General Assembly heard the briefing by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar on the situation in Myanmar presented on 26 February, Member States expressed their grave concern at developments in Myanmar: the reversal of Myanmar’s democratic transition, the violence perpetrated against peaceful protesters and the stifling of political dissent. Since then, the situation has continued to deteriorate. Hundreds of protesters have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the military crackdown, creating a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding right before our eyes. The military has not heeded the many calls to exercise restraint, cease violence, release all those detained arbitrarily and stand down to allow democracy to be restored in Myanmar. There is a real and present danger of a full-fledged civil war. In late February, many of us highlighted the need to remain seized of the situation in Myanmar and to act in the light of the situation on the ground. After a very lengthy process of consultations, today we have the honour to introduce, on behalf of the co-sponsors, draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1. The draft resolution supports, complements and strengthens the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to restore Myanmar on the pathway to democracy. It supports the role of the Special Envoy and calls for full cooperation with her by the Myanmar armed forces. It condemns the use of lethal force and violence by the Myanmar armed forces, calls on them to reverse their course and reaffirms the Assembly’s support for the people of Myanmar. The draft resolution also highlights the need for accountability for the grave crimes committed against the people of Myanmar, in particular the Rohingya, which are under scrutiny by various international justice mechanisms, and it stresses the principle of command responsibility in connection with the ongoing attacks on the civilian population. It calls on all Member States to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar and issues a clear call for an inclusive and peaceful dialogue among all parties, in accordance with the will of the people of Myanmar, while supporting and complementing the pronouncements of the Security Council and adding its voice to Human Rights Council resolution 42/3, of 3 October 2019. Draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1 is the result of intensive negotiations with a wide range of partners, in particular the member States of ASEAN, which took the initiative to address the crisis in a five-point consensus adopted at the ASEAN Leaders Meeting held on 24 April. Those close consultations with ASEAN States, with whom we share the wish for the adoption of the draft resolution without a vote, have resulted in the revised version of the text before the General Assembly. We wish to thank our ASEAN partners for the fruitful and constructive exchanges held, which enabled us to put forward the present text. The people of Myanmar deserve the full and unreserved support of the General Assembly in their struggle for a peaceful and democratic future. Draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1 aims to strengthen the efforts of ASEAN and the United Nations to that end. We look forward to its adoption today and call on all delegations to support the text.

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”. Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of vote before the voting, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its grave concern at the deteriorating security and human rights situation in Myanmar, which could engender serious adverse repercussions in the region and beyond. In that connection, we call on Myanmar’s armed forces to refrain from further violence, exercise the utmost restraint, uphold democratic institutions and respect human rights and the rule of law. While reaffirming our strong commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity of Myanmar, we underline the need for a long-term peaceful political solution and national reconciliation through an inclusive and peaceful dialogue among all parties in Myanmar, in accordance with the will and interests of the people of that country. The continued deterioration of the Rohingya Muslim community’s security, human rights and humanitarian situation, particularly in the light of recent political and security developments in Myanmar, as well as the tragic events resulting from the widespread outbreak of the coronavirus disease, remain matters of grave concern. It is incumbent upon Myanmar’s authorities to uphold their responsibility towards the Rohingya Muslim population and ensure the voluntary and sustainable return of all internally displaced persons and refugees from the Rohingya Muslim population in safety, security and dignity and in accordance with international law. Furthermore, Myanmar must make every effort to eliminate the root causes of the current crisis, including the denial of citizenship, which has led to the statelessness and deprival of the rights of Rohingya Muslims, and to address the continued dispossession and discrimination from which they suffer. We emphasize the importance of conducting international, independent, fair and transparent investigations into the gross human rights violations against the Rohingya Muslim community and holding accountable those responsible for such brutal acts and crimes against it in order to deliver timely justice to the victims. The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its commitment to working closely with the United Nations and other international and regional partners, in particular the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to facilitate a peaceful solution for the current crisis and ensure full respect for the human rights, well-being and security of the people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya Muslim community. While supporting the ongoing efforts of the international community to facilitate a peaceful solution for the current crisis in Myanmar, in particular the steps taken by the United Nations, ASEAN and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, we are of the view that, regrettably, draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1 has failed to adequately and comprehensively address the plight of Rohingya Muslims. Therefore, my delegation will abstain in the voting on the draft resolution.

Egypt has been closely following with great concern the recent developments in Myanmar. Under those circumstances, Egypt would like to highlight that the Rohingya community may be further exposed to more dangers and threats. There is indeed a serious concern that those developments might impede the process of the safe and sustained repatriation of the Rohingya Muslims. Furthermore, we reiterate our position in support of the Muslim Rohingya people and call for ensuring their safety and security and recognizing their fundamental rights. Egypt believes that the annual draft resolution introduced by the member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Third Committee represents the right platform and venue for addressing the situation of the Rohingya. It is worth asking how draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1 would help settle the current situation in Myanmar, taking into consideration the ambiguity of the General Assembly mandates to address such an issue, as well as the lack of clarity of the link between the agenda item under which the draft resolution has been introduced and the current crisis in Myanmar. While abstaining in the voting on this draft resolution, my delegation would like to correct a factual mistake in the sixteenth preambular paragraph of draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1, which refers to the “Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar”. The correct name, as contained in Human Rights Council resolution 39/2 and General Assembly resolution 75/238, is the “Independent Mechanism for Myanmar”. We disassociate ourselves from the incorrect name and reaffirm the correct name as contained in relevant Human Rights Council and General Assembly resolutions.

As a neighbouring country and fellow member State of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand has been following the developments in Myanmar closely and with much concern because the peace, stability and prosperity of Myanmar and Thailand are closely linked. In fact, Thailand has been on the front lines of spillover impacts from the instability in Myanmar, so it has a lot at stake. Thailand knows well that the situation in Myanmar is really complex, which is why dialogue among all relevant stakeholders in Myanmar is imperative and urgently needed. The future of Myanmar will have to be decided by the Myanmar people themselves, but the international community can play an important role in creating conditions conducive to that dialogue. The five-point consensus adopted by the ASEAN Leaders Meeting held in April reflected the collective will of ASEAN to help address the situation and facilitate the return to normalcy in Myanmar. We therefore note with appreciation that draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1 contains clear language in support of the ASEAN process and calls on all stakeholders in Myanmar to cooperate with ASEAN and the Special Envoys of the ASEAN Chair and of the United Nations Secretary- General. Ultimately, a unified message from the international community will be vital, but unfortunately that unified message was not possible today. We understand that the General Assembly may have faced constraints in addressing the security dimension of the situation. Whatever the case may be, in order for Thailand to continue to contribute constructively to bring about a peaceful resolution in the interest of the people of Myanmar, we have decided to abstain in the voting.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote before the voting. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”. I give the floor to the representative of the Secretariat.

I should like to announce that, since the submission of draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1, the delegation of Somalia has withdrawn its sponsorship of the document. In addition to those delegations listed in the document, the following countries have become sponsors of draft resolution A/75/L.85/Rev.1: Angola, Australia, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand.

A recorded vote has been requested. I give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein on a point of order.

I would appreciate it if you, Mr. President, could inform the Assembly which delegation requested a vote on the draft resolution.

It was the delegation of Belarus.

Before giving the floor for explanations of vote after the voting, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

We have just witnessed the adoption of resolution 75/287 — yet another resolution based on a politicized, countryspecific topic. The Republic of Belarus voted against it. At the outset, we would like to note that we fully share the aspirations to bring an end to the violence and to achieve peace and harmony in Myanmar. We welcome the efforts of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to resolve the problem at the regional level. The position of the Republic of Belarus is in no way aimed at hindering international steps to settle the situation in Myanmar. Quite the opposite: we fully endorse the collective — and, more importantly, multilateral — approach to responding to emergent crises in the in the world. Regrettably, this sort of collective, truly multilateral spirit is lacking, in our view, in resolution 75/287. Belarus does not accept the practice of adopting country-specific resolutions in the General Assembly. Such documents are always biased in nature, with a one-sided view of events. By intervening in internal political affairs, they end up exacerbating the situations they are intended to address. Resolution 75/287, on the situation in Myanmar. is no exception. Resolution 75/287 imposes on a sovereign State specific models for interaction with human rights structures and mechanisms, and it also it also openly encroaches on the mandate of the Security Council with respect to arms control. In order to promote a negative image of Myanmar, the resolution intentionally includes aspects that have nothing to do with the aims of the resolution itself, such as the problem of the Rohingya refugees in Rakhine state and citations to human rights mechanisms that were created long before the events that are the focus of the resolution. I wish to separately draw attention to the way in which work proceeded on the draft of the resolution. Although the text was very much rushed — it came into being practically from one day to the next — it was included in the schedule of the plenary session of the General Assembly. What disappoints us is the closed nature and the lack of transparency with how the text was drafted. The delegations of the States Members of the United Nations were deprived of the opportunity to take part in drafting the text, which is open discrimination. I wish to pose a couple of rhetorical questions to the drafters of the resolution. Where is the pluralism of opinion? Where in the discussion is the multilateralism that is always touted by the authors of the resolution? Did people hear and consider all of the opinions and assessments of the situation? Our delegation was never involved in discussing the text of the draft resolution, although the principled, consistent stance of Belarus on all country-specific resolutions is well known. Despite some cosmetic changes that were made to the draft at the last moment, its essence remained unchanged. It is our view that this resolution remains, in its nature, a countryspecific resolution. In this very time slot in this very Hall, a highlevel meeting on middle-income countries had been scheduled. Heads of delegations at the highest levels, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, were slated to make statements. We are a middle-income country. As such, we actively participated in bringing forward this topic at the United Nations, and we pinned great hopes on this event, which, with striking rapidity and ease, was taken off the agenda. Instead, a meeting to discuss a draft resolution on the situation on Myanmar was held, which, in our view, was unacceptable. I would like to conclude by noting that Belarus recognizes the important role the United Nations plays in the maintenance of international peace and security, but this and other aims can be reached successfully only with the full and unconditional adherence to basic principles of the work of our Organization, including inclusiveness and openness.

Today’s resolution on the situation in Myanmar (resolution 75/287) is of utmost importance to Bangladesh. We share a border with Myanmar. We are hosting over a million of their people. Stability in Myanmar is therefore critically important for us, so that a durable solution for the million Rohingyas whom we host and who have been victims of atrocity crimes may be found. However, the resolution falls short of our expectations. It fails to recognize the urgent need for creating conditions for the safe, voluntary and sustainable return of the Rohingyas. We acknowledge the efforts of the delegations that were involved in the negotiations. We thank them for reaching out to us. However, we do not see our key priorities reflected in the resolution, especially in the operative part. Therefore, despite being one of the most affected countries, Bangladesh decided to abstain from the voting on resolution 75/287. As a democratic country, Bangladesh deeply cares about restoration of constitutional order in Myanmar. However, any resolution on Myanmar, whatever the context, would remain incomplete if it does not recognize the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and make concrete recommendations to address them. Failure of the international community to address the root causes, even after the ethnic cleansing in 2017, has led to a culture of impunity in Myanmar, and we can see that reality playing out now for other minorities as well. Bangladesh is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Yet we have opened our borders for the persecuted Rohingyas on multiple occasions over the last four decades. We greatly appreciate the international community’s support, including the humanitarian assistance for the displaced Rohingyas whom we are hosting. However, humanitarian assistance alone does not solve the Rohingya problem, nor does it help with the challenges that Bangladesh faces as a host country. What is needed is a political solution. The crisis was created in Myanmar, and its solution must be found in Myanmar. We remain bilaterally engaged with Myanmar in good faith towards that end. In the same spirit, we have engaged with countries and organizations of the region and sought their support. We have placed our trust in the United Nations. My prime minister stood at the General Assembly and appealed to the international community to take custodianship of our bilateral efforts. Unfortunately, no progress has been achieved so far in creating the conditions essential for the safe return of refugees. Resolution 75/287 calls for the swift implementation of the five-point consensus reached at the leaders’ summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which does not address the repatriation issue. Moreover, the recent comments in public media by the Myanmar military chief, who was at the ASEAN leaders’ meeting, ruled out the possibility of any policy reform, which would be fundamental for the safe and sustainable return of the Rohingyas. In this situation, it was all the more important for resolution 75/287 to stress the need for creating an environment conducive to the return of the Rohingyas. Every year. in the Third Committee, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU) jointly submit a draft resolution on the human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. The resolution recognizes the importance of addressing the root causes of the Rohingya crisis and also calls for actions that would lead to a comprehensive solution to Myanmar’s democratic and other sociopolitical challenges. The resolutions of the Human Rights Council do the same thing, including the latest one adopted in March after the military coup in Myanmar (A/HRC/RES/46/21). We have also been encouraged to see the press elements of the Security Council and the presidential statement that recognized the impacts of the coup on the repatriation of Rohingya Muslims and other displaced minorities (S/PRST/2021/5). It is therefore very disappointing to see that resolution 75/287 has deviated from this trend. While we abstained from the voting on this resolution today, our efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis with support of the General Assembly will continue. For the last four years we have received the overwhelming support from the international community on the Rohingya issue. It is these efforts that have resulted in the creation of multiple mechanisms in the United Nations, such as the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General on Myanmar, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and others. Multiple accountability processes have taken concrete shape thanks to our combined efforts. Bangladesh will continue to engage with the brotherly countries of the OIC and other partners including ASEAN and the EU, to continue to strive to reach an early resolution of this crisis.

Malaysia remains gravely concerned over the situation in Myanmar following the military takeover of 1 February 2021. The continued use of lethal violence against unarmed civilians, which has resulted in a high number of casualties, is unacceptable under any circumstances. In this regard, Malaysia has consistently called on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to stop this deplorable situation immediately. De-escalation and ending violence must be made our priority. Malaysia reaffirms its strong support for Myanmar’s democratic transition peace process and inclusive economic development, in full respect of the will and aspirations of the people of Myanmar. From the outset, Malaysia approached the introduction of resolution 27/287 in the spirit of an adoption by consensus. Process-wise, we would have hoped that the Core Group would have held more inclusive, open-ended and transparent consultations with the wider membership of the United Nations. We acknowledge the efforts undertaken by the Core Group to engage the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and note that the majority of ASEAN’s proposals and comments have been taken on board. This is important, as what impacts Myanmar has and will continue to affect the region. In general, the substance of the resolution is in line with Malaysia’s positions on the matter and highlights key issues that need to be addressed. For instance, it calls for the end of violence and the prompt release of detained political leaders, which is vital for the inclusive national dialogue that is conducive to reconciliation. We also appreciate the resolution’s acknowledgement of ASEAN’s role and its references to the ASEAN leaders’ meeting and its outcome. We call on the international community to support and work together with ASEAN in engaging Myanmar to implement the five-point consensus. We also look forward to cooperation being extended by all stakeholders in Myanmar to ASEAN and the tobe-appointed Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to Myanmar. Malaysia also welcomes the recognition of the role played by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, particularly on the issue of the Rohingya, and we note the inclusion of references to the plight of the Rohingya in the resolution. Malaysia has been greatly affected by the instability in Myanmar, and we currently shelter around 200,000 displaced persons from the country, the majority of whom are Rohingyas from Rakhine state. We firmly call for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced persons to Myanmar, and we wish to see the continuation of the repatriation mechanism that was agreed by both Bangladesh and Myanmar. Equally important is the role of the United Nations, and the visit of the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General on Myanmar must also be facilitated. In this regard, Malaysia welcomes the adoption of resolution 75/287, which sends a strong message that the international community supports the will of the people of Myanmar. It also complements the efforts undertaken by the Security Council and Human Rights Council. While the resolution is far from perfect, it is timely. With reports of continued violence, we fear that a worsening of the situation in Myanmar may result in spillover effects to the region, including Malaysia. Malaysia’s relationship with Myanmar is based on the premise of constructive engagement and not isolation. Malaysia was among the first to recognize the potential of Myanmar to be part of ASEAN. We advocated Myanmar’s inclusion in ASEAN in 1997, ignoring criticism from some quarters because we believe in the potential of Myanmar to be a responsible partner that will contribute positively towards ASEAN. Our constructive engagement has allowed Malaysia to engage closely with Myanmar, bilaterally and within the ASEAN framework, including on sensitive issues. A similar approach has been adopted with regard to the Third Committee resolution on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. Malaysia will continue on this path of constructive engagement with all relevant parties in Myanmar with a view to contributing to a peaceful resolution and the return to normalcy in the country. Our vote today was based on the substance of the resolution, which we believe will positively contribute to improving the situation on the ground. Malaysia stands ready to engage constructively and galvanize efforts with the international community in favour of resolving the current political crisis.

I would like to explain our vote on resolution 75/287 on the situation in Myanmar. As a country that shares both land and maritime borders with Myanmar, India has direct stakes in the maintenance of peace and stability in the country. In this regard, India welcomes the initiative of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Myanmar and the five-point consensus. Our diplomatic engagements will be aimed at strengthening these efforts. We also call for upholding the rule of law and the release of detained leaders. The Security Council has also expressed strong support for ASEAN’s positive and constructive role in facilitating a peaceful solution in support of the people of Myanmar. The Council has also called for an early visit of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to Myanmar. India’s position on the situation in Myanmar has been clear and consistent. We expressed our deep concern on the developments in the country. We strongly condemned the use of violence and urged maximum restraint. We affirm that the path to democracy in Myanmar should continue to move forward through the process of democratic transition, which India has steadfastly supported. There can be no turning back on this issue. India will continue to engage with measures to accelerate and support the democratic transition in Myanmar so that the hopes and aspirations of the people of the country are fully respected and met. On the issue of the repatriation of the displaced persons from the Rakhine state in Myanmar, India, as the only country that shares a long border with both Bangladesh and Myanmar, has the highest stake in resolving this issue at the earliest. We have continued to counsel our partners on the need for a balanced and constructive approach to this issue. Our support has been for the people on the ground both at Cox’s Bazar and in the Rakhine state. We commend Bangladesh for hosting a million displaced persons on its territory. It is important for the international community to recognize and understand the humanitarian burden that Bangladesh continues to bear and the efforts that it has undertaken to ensure the well-being of the displaced persons. It is also important for the international community to support — financially and otherwise — efforts of the Government of Bangladesh. Further, the effort towards the safe, speedy and sustainable repatriation to the Rakhine state of Myanmar of the displaced persons currently in Bangladesh should be expedited. We call on both sides to engage actively in this regard. As Myanmar’s immediate neighbour and a close friend of its people, we are cognizant of the serious impacts of political instability and of the potential of that instability to spill over beyond Myanmar’s border. India has been calling for greater engagement with the objective of peacefully resolving all issues. There is already an initiative ongoing under the auspices of ASEAN. It is important that we extend support for these ASEAN efforts. During the discussions on resolution 75/287, we engaged in a spirit of finding a constructive and pragmatic way forward and accordingly shared our suggestions to those who piloted the resolution. However, we find that our views were not reflected in the draft that was considered for adoption today. We would like to reiterate that a consultative and constructive approach involving the neighbouring countries and the region remains important as the international community strives for the peaceful resolution of the issue. The fact that support for the resolution is lacking from all neighbouring countries and from several countries in the region itself should hopefully serve as an eye-opener to those who chose to pursue a hasty course of action. We therefore do not believe that the submission of the resolution for adoption at this juncture was conducive to aiding our joint efforts towards strengthening the democratic process in Myanmar. India was therefore constrained to abstain from the voting on resolution 75/287.

All along, China has closely followed developments in Myanmar, worked actively with Myanmar parties and constructively participated in relevant Council discussions and in a joint consensus reached at the Council. China sincerely hopes that all the Myanmar parties will resolve their differences sooner through political dialogue and within the constitutional and legal framework, avoid the recurrence of violence, restore the social stability of the country and relaunch its process of democratic transition at an early date. Recently, the Brunei Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof and Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Lim Jock Hoi led a delegation to Myanmar with a focus on exchanging ideas on implementing the consensus reached at a special session of the ASEAN leaders’ meeting. This visit by the ASEAN delegation is an important step in implementing the five-point consensus. It takes on a positive significance. During the just-concluded special Foreign Ministers’ meeting to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, China elaborated its principled position on the current situation in Myanmar. China and ASEAN reached broad consensus. Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN family. China supports the Association in playing its constructive role in properly Myanmar’s domestic issues. China supports a gradual implementation of the five-point consensus within the ASEAN framework. China will continue to maintain close communication with ASEAN and play a constructive role in its own way. Myanmar’s current issues represent a twist in its political transition process. Essentially, it is a domestic issue. Whether or not it can be solved properly in the end, it mainly depends on Myanmar itself. History has shown that blind external pressure or the imposition of sanctions on Myanmar is not only ineffective, but, quite on the contrary, they might aggravate the issue and ultimately harm the Myanmar people. We hope that all parties will be able to abide by the purpose and principles of the United Nations Charter, work under the precondition of respecting the sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Myanmar, be objective and fair, support the efforts of countries of the region, avoid unilateral sanctions and inappropriate intervention and create a favourable external environment for Myanmar’s domestic political reconciliation. China has always been opposed to the adoption of country-specific resolutions by the General Assembly. The draft resolution adopted today as resolution 75/287 failed to undergo adequate discussions and consultations by the wider United Nations membership. It is lacking in transparency and inclusiveness and contains some elements that are not constructive, which made it hard for China to accept the resolution. Based on the foregoing, China abstained from the voting on resolution 75/287.

At the outset, I would like to thank the representatives of Liechtenstein and the European Union, as well as the Core Group and the sponsors of the draft resolution just adopted as resolution 75/287, and for their efforts and hard work towards a smooth adoption of the resolution. I wish also to thank all delegations that supported the resolution. In this regard, I would like to state the following points. First, Myanmar supported the resolution by voting in favour of it, because we believe that it will, to a certain extent, contribute to putting pressure on the military to stop its inhumane acts in Myanmar and further consolidate the people’s efforts aimed at restoring democracy in the country. However, the resolution falls far short of our expectations. The people of Myanmar have always wished that the international community, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), would respect the desire and voices of the Myanmar people. It is imperative that there be engagement with all relevant stakeholders in Myanmar, in particular representatives of the National Unity Government, ethnic organizations and civil society groups. Secondly, the resolution does not include some important elements, such as the imposition of an arms embargo. The military is killing innocent civilians and peaceful protesters with lethal weapons and heavy artillery, both of which are imported. I hereby appeal to all States Members of the United Nations States, especially those that are exporting weapons to the Myanmar military, to stop selling them immediately. Selling weapons to a murderous military can be construed as aiding and abetting the military to commit serious crimes, including crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and genocide. Thirdly, time is of the essence for the people of Myanmar if the lives of innocent civilians are to be saved and if democracy is to be restored in the country. We are very disappointed that it took almost three months to adopt this watered-down resolution, despite the omission of many important points that could save the lives of the people of Myanmar. On 26 February 2021, in an informal meeting of the plenary, I appealed to the international community from this very seat to take the strongest possible action to immediately end the military coup. In the first 100 days following that appeal, almost 900 people, including many young people and children as young as seven years old, were murdered. The people of Myanmar have noted that if the international community, including the United Nations, had taken a decisive and timely action against the military, it would have prevented the loss of life of over 800 innocent civilians. Fourthly, it is critically important that no country support the military and the State Administrative Council of Myanmar in any way whatsoever, whether intentionally or unintentionally or directly or indirectly. Such support would encourage the military and the State Administrative Council to commit further atrocities and inhumane acts against the people of Myanmar. Recently, the Myanmar military forces burned the entire village of Kinma in the central part of Myanmar to the ground, and those who could not run for their lives were burned to death. That is not acceptable to us, and it should definitely not be acceptable to the international community. Finally, a strong and decisive action from the international community and the United Nations is immediately needed to save the lives of the people of Myanmar and to stop the military’s brutality and inhumane acts in the country. I therefore urge the Security Council to seriously look into the crisis in Myanmar and take the strongest and most decisive action possible against the military and the State Administrative Council without further delay.

My delegation would like to explain our abstention in the voting on resolution 75/287 on the situation in Myanmar as follows. As an immediate neighbour sharing a common border with Myanmar, and as a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has closely followed the situation and the recent developments in Myanmar. My delegation welcomes the inclusion in the resolution of the elements relating to the holding and outcome of the ASEAN leaders’ meeting on 24 April 2021. However, we are of the view that there remains some language in the text that is not in line with the previous practice of General Assembly resolutions, given that General Assembly mandates and resolutions are different from those of the Security Council or the Human Rights Council. It was our desire from the beginning that resolution 75/287 be adopted by consensus, that is, without a vote, so that it could send a positive signal to the wider international community, thereby not showing a division, but creating an environment conducive to ensuring a peaceful solution to the ongoing situation in Myanmar and, more importantly, helping support and not undermine the ongoing efforts of ASEAN, particularly the full implementation of the five-point consensus reached during the ASEAN leaders’ meeting.

Since the onset of the developments on the 1 February 2021, Singapore has taken a clear and consistent position on the situation in Myanmar. We strongly oppose the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians. It is deplorable and unacceptable under any circumstances. We call on the Myanmar military authorities to put an end to further violence and bloodshed and for all sides to refrain from escalating tensions. We also call for the release of all political detainees, including foreigners, and for meaningful negotiations and dialogue among all parties to be undertaken. Singapore voted in favour of resolution 75/287, as it recognizes the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and calls on all stakeholders in Myanmar to cooperate with ASEAN and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair or other envoys of the Association to swiftly and fully implement the five-point consensus reached at the ASEAN leaders’ meeting on 24 April. The key elements of the resolution are in line with Singapore’s position to end the violence and begin a process of genuine political dialogue and national reconciliation in Myanmar. We support the calls for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to safely reach those in need. The resolution is also in line with our position to strongly support the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar. Singapore will continue to do what it can to support and contribute to the efforts of ASEAN and the Secretary-General in facilitating a return to normalcy, peace and stability in Myanmar. But there must also be a genuine desire within Myanmar for meaningful dialogue, negotiation and reconciliation. We hope that wisdom and good sense will prevail, and we stand ready to do our part.

We have just seen the adoption of resolution 75/287, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”, and Brunei Darussalam shares the concern of the international community on the situation in that country, especially on the reports of fatalities and escalation of violence. As current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Brunei Darussalam welcomes the support accorded to ASEAN as reflected in the fourth and fifth preambular paragraphs and operative paragraph 3 of the resolution. ASEAN will continue to play a positive and constructive role in facilitating a peaceful solution in the interests of the people of Myanmar and their livelihoods, including the full implementation of the five-point consensus that was adopted at the ASEAN leaders’ meeting on 24 April 2021. We also wish to reiterate our position as reflected in the ASEAN Chairman’s statement on the developments in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, issued on 1 February 2021, the Chairman’s statement from the informal ASEAN Ministerial meeting, issued on 2 March 2021, and the Chairman’s statement from the ASEAN leaders’ meeting, issued on 24 April, as well as Brunei Darussalam’s national statements at the twenty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February and at the informal meeting of the General Assembly on the briefing by Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar on 26 February, and its statement on the developments in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 24 March 2021.

Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor to explain our position after the voting on resolution 75/287. Vietnam’s position on the issue is clear and consistent. In the interest of time, we will not reiterate all aspects of our position, but we will stress the following. We remain deeply concerned over the clashes and attacks that have taken lives of many people over the last few weeks across Myanmar. The people of Myanmar must be protected from the threat of an all-out civil war. We therefore reiterate our call for all parties in Myanmar to immediately to stop violence, restore trust, take up dialogue, strive for reconciliation and implement the five-point consensus reached at the leaders’ meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in April. The international community should continue to engage with Myanmar and create an environment conducive to the achievement of this goal, pursuant to the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. We understand that the resolution we adopted today is not perfect and that it does not reflect the full picture of the situation on the ground, but we voted in favour of the resolution to express our strong commitment to the efforts aimed at helping to facilitate de-escalation and at starting dialogue and reconciliation. Our vote in favour is to support engagement over disengagement, cooperation over confrontation and trust over distrust. Myanmar is a member of ASEAN. Together with all other ASEAN members, we will try our best to help Myanmar overcome this difficult period for the benefit of the Myanmar people, and for peace, stability and prosperity in our region.

My delegation has taken the floor to explain its position after the voting on resolution 75/287. At the outset, let me thank the members of the Core Group and acknowledge their endeavours to accommodate the positions, comments and concerns expressed, which have led to the adoption of this revised resolution entitled “The situation in Myanmar”. We believe that further efforts could have been made to ensure a consensual adoption of the resolution. That could have been a strong message of unity and shared understanding among members of the General Assembly to address the situation in Myanmar, reflecting all views, especially those of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). My delegation joins other members of the General Assembly in expressing its solidarity with the people of Myanmar and in calling on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, paving the way for a democratic solution in Myanmar. Nevertheless, Algeria abstained from the voting on this resolution, in line with its principled position on country-specific resolutions adopted by the United Nations. Indeed, Algeria believes that the General Assembly and any other United Nations organ or mechanism must always be guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter. We recall that the General Assembly should provide an opportunity to seek further dialogue and constructive cooperation with all delegations in a holistic and comprehensive manner, far from politicization and selectivity, and should therefore not constitute a platform to discuss internal affairs of any State Member of the United Nations. Furthermore, we know that the adoption of resolution 75/287 took place after the ASEAN leaders’ meeting held in Jakarta on 24 April to discuss, inter alia, the situation in Myanmar. We believe that regional efforts and the role played by ASEAN members should have been put at the centre of this resolution. In saying so, let me take this opportunity to welcome the adoption of key consensual decisions during the Jakarta summit that were designed to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of Myanmar people. The decision to appoint a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair and that envoy’s upcoming visit to Myanmar, together with representatives of countries of the region, is a very positive step towards mediation and dialogue efforts. It should be welcomed and supported by the General Assembly as a manifestation of nation-al and regional ownership of matters related to peace, security and democratic transition. In fact, Algeria believes that resolution 75/287 should have built further on the recognition by the United Nations that regional and subregional organizations such as ASEAN and the OIC are well placed to understand the root causes of conflict in their respective parts of the world and to promote confidence-building measures and political dialogue at various levels. My delegation has always underlined and supported the role of regional organizations in peacebuilding efforts, recognizing that they have a comparative advantage in the promotion of confidence-building and dialogue and in assisting Member States to peacefully prevent and resolve conflicts. In this regard, we believe that the Jakarta summit opened promising path-ways for constructive dialogue with all parties concerned in Myanmar. Finally, I would like to reaffirm Algeria’s support for the efforts of the OIC aimed at protecting the Muslim Rohingya people who have been affected by the current situation in Myanmar. We call for ensuring the safety and security of the Rohingya people and welcome the international community’s efforts to find a durable solution to the refugee crisis they are facing in this difficult context.

The current internal political situation in Myanmar is being tracked very carefully in Russia. We believe that this challenging time for the country is one in which the belligerent parties need to show maximum restraint and avoid the use of force. In our view, the primary task is to establish a constructive dialogue with the aim of moving Myanmar society forward towards national reconciliation. A particular role in the process of the peaceful resolution will certainly be carried out by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The summit in Jakarta showed that clearly. We welcome the statement by the Chairman of the Association issued on the 24 April as well as the five-point consensus. It is a clear example of effective practical efforts by regional powers to achieve peace in Myanmar. We believe that implementing the initiatives enshrined in the consensus, including appointing a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair, who, with the assistance of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, will help to gradually normalize the situation in the country. In this context, we were baffled by the circulation at the General Assembly of a draft resolution on Myanmar. We believe that the very fact that such a country-specific resolution was drawn up in the General Assembly blurs the lines of the division of labour among the organs in the United Nations system. The issue is already on the agenda of the Security Council, which is confirmed by the Council’s regular products on the matter. Just this morning, incidentally, the Security Council held its most recent meeting on the situation in Myanmar (S/PV.8800). I should also like to voice my deep disappointment and bewilderment at the way that resolution 75/287 was drawn up, specifically the lack of desire by the authors to discuss it thoroughly in a broad format, which can be interpreted only as an attempt to hide the fact that the text does not fully consider the opinions of all Member States. This shortcoming was clearly highlighted in the statements of colleagues who have spoken before me. With respect to the content of the resolution, we are compelled to note that the authors were not able to take a balanced approach or show an appropriate level of understanding of the complexity and multifaceted nature of the current realities within Myanmar. Instead, the text attempts to push forward one-dimensional national positions of certain Member States. Resolution 75/287 stands out because of its politicized nature. Indeed, some of its passages are openly biased or are divorced from reality. The resolution focuses on criticism of the authorities in Naypyidaw while neglecting the issues that have to do with the impact on current events from other actors operating in internal political processes in Myanmar. We are firmly convinced that documents such as this serve only to sow division in the General Assembly, and this is something that we have seen very clearly during our meeting today. We still believe that the task of the international community is to help Myanmar find a way out of the current crisis. A precondition for the efforts undertaken is the consistent adherence to the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign States, neutrality and renunciation of sanctions and political and diplomatic pressure, which only served to push Myanmar toward a full-blown civil conflict. In the light of the foregoing, the Russian Federation was unable to support the draft resolution submitted by the Core Group. We regret to note that resolution 75/287, despite its stated aims, will not contribute to efforts to provide constructive international assistance aimed at resolving the situation in Myanmar.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia abstained in the voting on resolution 75/287, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”. In this respect, my country’s delegation would like to make the following observations. Despite a lack of clarity on the part of the sponsors regarding the negotiation process, my delegation sought to achieve a balanced text that takes into consideration the concerns of all States concerned with this crisis. The resolution sufficiently and clearly ignores important aspects of the humanitarian crisis suffered by the Muslim Rohingya minority and other minorities in Myanmar. It cannot be ignored that the ongoing political crisis in Myanmar has exacerbated the bitter humanitarian situation that the Muslim Rohingya minority is facing, which makes it less possible for those refugees to return home safely from the scattered camps. Accordingly, my delegation and delegations of other countries asked the sponsors to include a clear reference to the oppressed Muslim Rohingya minority in the operative paragraphs of the resolution in a way that reflects the gravity of the humanitarian situation of these people. My delegation calls on Myanmar to assume its responsibilities towards the Muslim Rohingya minority and put an immediate end to all acts of violence and violations of international humanitarian law. Further, we demand that all measures necessary to do justice for the victims must be taken and that an end must be put to the impunity of all those involved in the violation of international humanitarian law. My delegation emphasizes once again the consistent position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the Rohingya Muslims, and we call for ensuring their safety and security while recognizing their fundamental rights, including their right to full citizenship, the creation of conditions conducive for their voluntary, safe and dignified return, and their reintegration into the society.

Cambodia abstained from the voting on resolution 75/287, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”, taken under agenda item 34, “Prevention of armed conflict”, and wishes to express the following views. Given the current situation in Myanmar, it is very important for the international community to focus on creating an environment conducive to the coming together of the concerned parties to engage in a peaceful dialogue, which, I believe, will lead to a peaceful solution for the country. Since the political problem arose in Myanmar on 1 February 2021, Cambodia has joined the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and consistently supported the ASEAN Chairman’s statement issued on 1 February and the Chairman’s statement issued at the informal ASEAN Ministerial meeting on 2 March 2021. My delegation wishes to stress that the five-point consensus agreed by the ASEAN leaders at their meeting in Jakarta on 24 April 2021 is an important outcome that will pave the way towards peaceful dialogue and reconciliation among the concerned parties as well as towards de-escalating the tension and bringing violence to an end. Accordingly, I call on the international community to support the implementation of the five-point consensus. In accordance with the ASEAN Charter and the United Nations Charter, Cambodia fully supports resolving the political problem in Myanmar through peaceful means, and it hopes that the situation in Myanmar will soon return to normalcy, peace and stability.

Iraq voted in favour of resolution 75/287, entitled “The situation in Myanmar”, adopted today by the General Assembly. Iraq reiterates its position in support of the Muslim Rohingya people. However, Iraq believes that neither the current language on the Muslim Rohingya nor the resolution in general meets our expectations nor does it properly convey the situation on the ground. Further spotlight should have been given in the text to the suffering of the Muslim Rohingya, as there is indeed a serious concern that the developments on the ground might impede the process of the safe and sustained repatriation of the Rohingya Muslims. Furthermore, Iraq would like to disassociate itself from the nineteenth preambular paragraph of the resolution.

The United Arab Emirates remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation and the impact of the recent developments in Myanmar on the ongoing suffering of the Rohingya Muslim minority, including on those who have been displaced. The role of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is crucial to protecting the Rohingya Muslim minority and ending their suffering. In this regard, the United Arab Emirates reiterates its support for the ongoing regional effort that hopefully will lead to a sustained solution. We appreciate the role played by the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in facilitating a peaceful solution that supports the people of Myanmar. The United Arab Emirates reaffirms its support for the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire in response to the growing risk of another outbreak of the coronavirus disease and other humanitarian health challenges. While the United Arab Emirates supports many of the provisions of resolution 75/287, we note that it did not receive the consensus support of Member States, nor do the operative paragraphs of the resolution sufficiently address the suffering that the Rohingya continue to face. For those reasons, my delegation abstained in the voting on the resolution.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote after the voting. We will now hear statements after the adoption of the resolution.

It has been 137 days since a coup d’état seized control from the democratically elected Government in Myanmar. However, it was only today that the General Assembly took action to respond to the coup. One would have thought that the violence and the deterioration of the human rights situation in the country would have prompted a more expeditious reaction from the international community, but this was not the case. Time is a luxury that the people of Myanmar do not have. It is in no one’s interest for the junta to last. Remaining silent  — or speaking with a timid voice  — enables, emboldens and entrenches human rights violations in Myanmar. Costa Rica refuses to remain silent. That is why Costa Rica co-sponsored and voted in favour of the resolution we adopted today (resolution 75/287), and we hope that it will be a fundamental component in promoting stability, human rights and peace in all its aspects in Myanmar. In supporting this resolution, Costa Rica wishes to emphasize three aspects. First, Costa Rica urges the immediate suspension of the supply, sale or direct or indirect transfer of all arms, ammunition and related equipment to the junta. The junta depends on — and uses on a daily basis — the weapons that some members of the international community continue to provide to it. Such weapons shoot bullets into the eyes of children or that ricochet off the torsos of young men. They terrorize and push ethnic minorities across borders and corner women into sexual victimization. To continue supplying arms to the junta is to give it a blank cheque to commit violence. As required by international law and the Arms Trade Treaty, transfers of arms, ammunition and equipment to Myanmar or any conflict zone must stop immediately. Stopping these transfers is one of the clearest and most effective ways to undercut the violence and send a powerful message that the international community condemns the junta’s brutality and will not tolerate its gross human rights violations. In the absence of Security Council leadership, unilateral embargoes have been useful, but what we really need is a unified and concerted effort to stem arms flows. Secondly, Costa Rica urges that there be accountability for all serious human rights violations in Myanmar wherever they occur. Serious human rights violations must be thoroughly investigated, and perpetrators must be held accountable to avoid impunity. Impunity is a perverse virus that contaminates everything around it. Costa Rica also insists that the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General be granted immediate entry to Myanmar so that she can carry out her mandate thoroughly, freely and without obstruction. Costa Rica also supports the International Criminal Court’s investigations into crimes within its jurisdiction and looks forward to its findings. The centrality of victims and their special status in the design and implementation of justice are crucial to ensuring successful accountability. Thirdly, Costa Rica again highlights the role of Burmese youth in defending democracy in their country. Like many countries in its region, Myanmar is a young country. Some 10 million of its 53 million citizens are students. Unfortunately, the junta has targeted their schools, suspended their classes and dismissed their teachers. For those students, peacefully protesting in the streets can have dire consequences. We must follow their example and protect them. Millions of my brothers and sisters — in all their ethnic, religious and regional diversity  — continue to courageously challenge the military coup that is attempting to steal a peaceful, democratic future from them. The junta is not the face of Myanmar. The junta is illegitimate in its origin, form and function. The junta continues to assassinate and detain children, deploy military armaments against civilians, assault medics, incarcerate journalists, use arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances to strike fear in the hearts of anti-coup protesters, as well as persecute the political opposition and defenders of human rights. We must take immediate and decisive action against the military junta. We already know that timidly waiting or issuing verbal condemnations is insufficient. We must demonstrate through resolutions, such as the one just adopted, that juntas cannot assault, attack and arrest their way to legitimacy — in Myanmar or anywhere else in the world.

Ukraine condemns in the strongest terms the military coup and the overthrow of the democratically elected Government in Myanmar, as well as the use of excessive and lethal force, which has led to injuries and fatalities among peaceful demonstrators and members of civil society, including women, youth and children. In that regard, we echo the calls of the Secretary-General and the Security Council on the Myanmar military to refrain from violence against peaceful demonstrators and bring an end immediately and unconditionally to the systematic targeting of civil society. Ukraine is deeply concerned by the reports that State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi faces new charges and calls for the immediate release of all Myanmar’s political leaders, civil society representatives, human rights advocates, journalists and media workers who were arbitrarily detained, as well as the end of the state of emergency and the restoration of the rule of law. We remain deeply alarmed by the crackdown on the freedom of expression, including through Internet blocks, and call on the military to ensure unimpeded telecommunications. Ukraine urges the military and security forces of Myanmar to conduct transparent investigations into all allegations of human rights violations and abuses, as well as to bring those responsible for the violence to justice. Impunity for the perpetrators of the terrible violations in Myanmar must be immediately brought to an end. We call for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to the most vulnerable populations, including people in detention, as well as for the voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya and other minorities to Myanmar. Ukraine reiterates its full support for the efforts of regional organizations, in particular the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, aimed at calming and stabilizing the situation in Myanmar. We also recall the need to grant prompt and immediate access to the Special Envoy on Myanmar to assess the developments on the ground and create the preconditions for dialogue and the return of Myanmar to the democratic path. We profoundly regret — and it is a shame, in all senses of that word  — that resolution 75/287, which could have been adopted without a vote and thereby be even more powerful as a message to the military junta, was put to a vote by Belarus, which is represented by that lonely red dot on the screen in front of us. The reference by the only country that voted against the resolution to the role of the Security Council is worth noting, including in the light of the candidacy of that country to the Security Council. Today’s voting results speaks for itself. All dictatorships should, and will eventually, feel lonely in this Hall. Considering that the Security Council is unable to take meaningful action because of the position of the one usual suspect — the Russian Federation — Ukraine hopes that the resolution just adopted will represent a timely and decisive response by the international community that will contribute to the peaceful settlement of the situation in Myanmar. Finally, we would like to reaffirm Ukraine’s firm support for the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Myanmar.

At the outset, the Dominican Republic wishes to express its concern and rejection of the indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Myanmar, including peaceful protesters, women, young people and children, which have been seen over the months prior to today’s meeting. We also reiterate our deep concern with regard to the arbitrary detention of members of the Government and press and call for their immediate release. Myanmar is currently in its fourth month of crisis. The continued attacks on civilians are an infringement on the purposes and principles of the United Nations. Therefore, in spite of the fact that a response to those violations from our Organization has taken so long, we believe that today we are taking an important step forward to amend in some way our long silence in the face of the victims, including children, who have lost their lives and the thousands of people who have been detained. The situation is more critical today. It is imperative to establish the conditions for dialogue, with the sole objective of an immediate return to the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms, leading to a more stable, promising and peaceful outlook for Myanmar. However, a gradual change will not be the result of a miracle. The international community is called upon to facilitate a solution that brings an end to repression and violence against civilians and to firmly support the people of Myanmar in their fight for peace, security and prosperity for all. It is our duty to stand at their side and insist upon a peaceful return to democratic governance, which the minorities in Myanmar are legitimately demanding at enormous risk to themselves. The international community must show its full support for the people of Myanmar and for the younger generation, which has shown great courage and determination in its efforts to bring an end to the crisis and steer its country back towards democracy.

Canada was proud to be a member of the core group and proud to have been involved intensely in the discussions that led to the adoption of resolution 75/287. We attach a great deal of importance to the conversations that we have had with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and with many other countries in trying to find a resolution that reflects a couple of basic issues that I think need to be presented clearly to the Assembly. (spoke in French) The first thing that needs to be said is that the attack on civilians is not only a question for one country but also a question for the General Assembly and for the United Nations. It is neither legally nor politically correct to think that sovereignty nullifies all other principles of democracy and humanitarian law. That is not true. That is not the reality of the situation. Yet I continue to hear, in particular in the statement by the representative of Belarus, the sense that national sovereignty is an absolute principle, so that the people of the world, the courts and all the institutions of the United Nations have nothing to say about a humanitarian situation, a human rights situation or the very existence of a population. Statutes on genocide and conventions on torture have been created. Important international laws intended to guarantee the existence of human rights have been adopted. (spoke in English) To me it seems quite clear that the Charter of the United Nations speaks of the equality of all nations and that equality speaks to the existence of the principle of sovereignty. But the Charter does not say that the principle of sovereignty trumps every other value that we have as an Assembly. When a people is being denied the integrity of its existence and where human life itself is being threatened by virtue of a person being a member of one ethnic group or one religion or another, it is not interfering in the internal affairs of another State to say that we can have something to say about that as an Assembly. At the same time, it is very important for us to respect the concerns, issues and points of view of those who reflect the political and social realities of different countries around the world. I know that in our discussions about that and in our negotiations, we have tried to be respectful of the points of view of the members of ASEAN and the perspectives of a number of different countries, but always with the understanding that our purpose was to advance the causes that actually have been part of the history of this Organization for more than 75 years. For 75 years, we have been slowly building a complex network of laws and institutions and values that are intended to respect the dignity of difference among us, but also the reality of the universality of what it means to be a human being and what it means to have rights. We have reflected that in any number of documents, for which virtually every member of the General Assembly has voted since 1945. Therefore, Canada takes the view not that we are perfect, not that we do not ourselves face human rights challenges — because we do. I understand that a spokesman for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of China commented on the discovery by Canada of the horrendous human rights abuse brought to light by finding 215 graves of unidentified children in the graveyard of a residential school; for that and other atrocities, which we fully recognize as being completely unacceptable, we all, as Canadians, must and do apologize and recognize them as mistakes committed in our past about which we can have nothing but shame and frankly embarrassment. But that does not preclude us from saying that we renew our commitment to human rights, we renew our commitment to reconciliation and we renew our commitment not only to a Canada that is just and that respects the rule of law but also to a world that respects the rule of law. What the Tatmadaw has done is to obliterate the result of an election; pretend that it was stolen when it was not; throw the opposition in jail completely illegally and with no foundation; kill hundreds of their own citizens; and continue a war with a number of regional groups and forces that have been at battle in the state of Myanmar for the same 75 years that we have been sitting in this Hall. The Tatmadaw then proceeded to go to a meeting with ASEAN leaders, made commitments, accepted the establishment of a Special Envoy of ASEAN and sat and listened to the five principles, which were accepted by ASEAN leaders with the Tatmadaw in the room, and then walked away and said, “We were only kidding. We are not going to do that.” To me, those are questions that are fundamental to the stability of the region and the stability of the world. That is why Canada believes that a resolution is appropriate and timely and that it is right for us to be doing whatever we can to move forward, together with as many people as we can, to reflect the need for engagement to get Myanmar back on the path to democracy, which we all celebrated a short six years ago. I deeply regret that not everyone voted in favour — some have abstained. Having been the Special Envoy of my country to Myanmar and having visited the camps in Cox’s Bazar and having had extensive discussions with members of the Rohingya community in Myanmar, Bangladesh and many other countries, I fully understand the importance that a great many countries attach to the principle that the Rohingya should be allowed to return to their country in freedom and in dignity and with a right to citizenship. I fully endorse that principle. We have said it on any number of occasions. We refer to it in two particular paragraphs of the resolution that we have just adopted. I sincerely and truly hope that the path to democracy in Myanmar will be a path of inclusivity and respect and that recognizes the dignity of every person living in Myanmar, including the Rohingya people. You, Mr. President, and I have both been in the camp in Cox’s Bazar and you and I both know — you, Sir, have described it very eloquently from the rostrum  — the situation facing refugees in Cox’s Bazar. I can confirm equally challenging conditions in the camps in Sittwe and say that it is possible to keep in our hearts and minds the importance of the principle of democracy and of saving all of the civilian population in Myanmar and, at the same time, say there must be special attention paid to the Rohingya people. Canada fully endorses an approach that says we must do both of those things. I congratulate and thank the representatives who have supported us. As I used to say after an election, I thank the people who voted for me and I also thank the people who I hope in a few weeks’ time will claim that they voted for me. So I say to those who could not find a path to support that resolution: we must all learn from this experience. We must all listen to each other and we must all aspire to achieving greater unity in the name not of unduly intervening in the affairs of another country but in the name of saving lives, stopping killings and bringing countries to peace. That is the historic mission of this Organization. We are supposed to be saving future generations from the scourge of war. Some of those generations are living right now in Myanmar. Are we going to save them from the scourge of war or are we going to say, “Well, no, sorry we cannot help you because you live in a certain country that has borders and boundaries and we have nothing to say about what is happening to you”? I think that is morally wrong but I also think it is legally wrong. I do not think it is right. I think that we have to accept the fact that, in the General Assembly, we shall forever live with the necessary and vital tension between the principle of national sovereignty and the principle of the universality of human rights and the importance for us to be saving lives.

My delegation welcomes the adoption of resolution 75/287. As a co-sponsor of the resolution, we firmly believe that it clearly demonstrates the collective and united will of the international community that violence against civilians stop; arbitrarily detained leaders be released immediately; the central and constructive role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations be respected and supported; the United Nations be granted unhindered access; human rights and international law be respected; and democratic governance be restored. The strong message sent out today by an overwhelming majority of the membership of the General Assembly will complement and reinforce the unified statements made by the Security Council on 4 February (SC/14430), 10 March (S/PRST/2021/5) and 1 April. My delegation hopes that the United Nations will continue to play its part in supporting the democratic transition in Myanmar, in accordance with the will and interest of the people of Myanmar. The Republic of Korea stands firmly together with the people of Myanmar. In close cooperation with the international community and all relevant stakeholders, we will continue to play a constructive and responsible role in support of the swift restoration of democracy and peace in Myanmar. My delegation also reiterates its firm support for the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar and hopes that she will be able to visit Myanmar as soon as possible for engagement with all relevant parties.

Today, after months of consultations among Member States, resolution 75/287, on the situation in Myanmar, was adopted by an overwhelming majority, including Japan. Throughout the process, Japan insisted that the resolution should freely reflect the voices of countries of the region, in particular the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and that it should be adopted by consensus. We truly regret that the final draft of the resolution was put to a vote. Yes, some Member States, including those from the region, did not vote in favour. However, in our understanding, those votes were by no means intended to demonstrate solidarity with the Myanmar military; rather, the adoption of the resolution was a sign of the resolute will of the international community against the acts carried out by the Myanmar military. The Myanmar military must not misjudge that point and must take it seriously. As expressed on many occasions, the Government of Japan continues to strongly urge the Myanmar military to immediately cease all acts of violence, release those who have been detained and swiftly restore Myanmar’s democratic political system. The Myanmar military should swiftly implement ASEAN’s five-point consensus. Japan reiterates ASEAN’s central role in addressing the situation and hopes that the ASEAN Special Envoy will be appointed and visit Myanmar as soon as possible. I hope that the ASEAN Envoy will work closely with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Burgener. The most important thing is that the Myanmar military and all the parties concerned, as well as the international community and the United Nations, work together closely to take the necessary steps for the people of Myanmar. Japan will continue to play its role in that regard.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote after the vote. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 34.