Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2023
321. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in light of their active support for the war in Ukraine, he will summon the Ambassadors of China, India and South Africa to express the State's displeasure at their stance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10897/23]
View answerMy Department and our Embassies around the world, have been engaged in outreach for over a year, in support of Ukraine and in strong opposition to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This outreach has included playing an active role at multilateral level to support Ukraine, to hold Russia accountable, and to demand that Russia respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and unconditionally withdraw its troops from within Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders.
We have been at the forefront of efforts to confront Russia in the UN General Assembly, where they have repeatedly been defeated.
Most recently, these efforts resulted in the overwhelming adoption by the UN membership of the most recent United Nations General Assembly Resolution regarding the situation in Ukraine, adopted on 23 February. The Resolution, which Ireland co-sponsored and played an active role in securing global support for, called on Russia to immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine. An overwhelming majority of 141 countries voted in favour of the Resolution. China, India and South Africa abstained during this vote.
We have been consistently clear, both with our partners, and also with those with whom we disagree, that this war is illegal, unjustified and in total violation of the principles of the UN Charter. We have made this position clear at multilateral level, as well as bilaterally, with China, India and South Africa. In respect of China, I met with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and former Foreign Minister, at the Munich Security Conference in February, and Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine was a core element of our discussions. Senior officials in my Department travelled to Delhi in October for consultations with the Indian government, which included detailed discussion of the situation in Ukraine. In respect of South Africa, our Embassy in Pretoria has been active, bilaterally with the South African government and as part of wider EU discussions with South Africa, on this issue.
We have also, together with our partners, repeatedly emphasised that the Russian invasion has impacts and implications well beyond Ukraine, including in terms of respect for international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, as well as heightened food and energy insecurity.
