New Delhi: A draft resolution seeking formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate Russia’s claims of using biological weapons by Ukraine and the US failed to pass on Wednesday. Only two members of the Council, Russia and China, voted in favor of it. America, Britain and France voted against it. Also other members of the council including India did not participate in the voting. Counselor of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations A. Amarnath said India attaches great importance to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the first non-discriminatory disarmament treaty to ban weapons of mass destruction. “We are committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the BWC and its full implementation.
‘India did not vote on the resolution’
Amarnath said India reiterates the need to negotiate a comprehensive and legally binding ‘Protocol’ to provide an effective, universal and non-discriminatory verification mechanism so that the BWC is fully implemented. “It is necessary to strengthen its implementation by the BWC and other countries and we hope that the current situation will encourage countries to consider, negotiate and finalize such a protocol at an early date,” he said, adding that considering all these facts, India’s resolution decided not to participate in the voting.
Russia got support only from China
In a statement to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the resolution presented by Russia, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “Voted against this resolution because it is based on propaganda, dishonesty, hatred. He said that Russia has been unable to produce any credible evidence to support its claims, as you can see in today’s poll that no one believes its claims except China. I shouldn’t waste more time and energy talking about Russia’s lies, nor the Security Council. Certainly not at a time when troops still occupy Ukrainian territory, while Russian forces attack Ukrainian civilians and commit war crimes. Instead of letting Russia waste our time, we should focus on reality and the horrors Russia has brought upon the people of Ukraine.
What did Russia say about the proposal?
Russia’s first deputy permanent representative, Dmitry Polanski, said before the vote at the UNSC that the vote would be “an important milestone for the Security Council”. After the resolution failed to pass the vote, he said that Russia “will continue to work under the BTWC framework and will try to bring to light all the facts related to violations of BTWC obligations by the United States and Ukraine with regard to biological activities in Ukrainian laboratories. Today if not tomorrow the criminals will be held accountable to the world for such illegal activities. Russia provided council members with a 310-page document last week alleging that biological weapons are being used in Ukraine with the help of the US Defense Department. The document also includes an official complaint.