EU state demands UN chief to quit position
Date
10/28/2024 8:12:00 AM
(MENAFN) Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has publicly urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to resign, asserting that his credibility has been compromised following his participation in the recent BRICS summit in Russia. Landsbergis's criticism centers on Guterres's decision to attend the event in Kazan while opting to skip a significant peace conference in Ukraine earlier this summer, which he argues undermines the UN leader's perceived neutrality.
The top diplomat from the Baltic state contends that Guterres's actions reflect a bias that renders him unsuitable as a neutral representative on the global stage. His remarks were echoed by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, who described Guterres's visit to meet with leaders from China, Russia, India, and other nations as "pathetic" and "incomprehensible."
Guterres attended the three-day BRICS conference, which hosted high-level delegations from 36 countries. His office emphasized the importance of the gathering, noting that it represented nearly half of the world’s population and had significant implications for the UN's work. In contrast, the Ukrainian peace summit held in June, which focused on President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposed "peace formula," did not include Russian participation. Although Guterres declined an invitation to the event, a UN spokesperson indicated that the organization was represented at an appropriate level.
In light of Guterres's involvement in the BRICS conference, Landsbergis expressed that the Secretary-General is "no longer accepted as an honest broker" in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He added, “If he decides to resign, we certainly would not discourage him,” emphasizing the need for Guterres to acknowledge his misjudgments. The foreign minister further criticized Guterres for choosing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he described as a "wanted war criminal," and for showing deference to both Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
The call for resignation underscores the growing discontent among certain European leaders regarding the UN's handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and raises questions about the Secretary-General's role as a mediator in international disputes.
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