Plenary meetings, 21st meeting of the 81st session. Agenda items taken up: “International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals - Item 130: note by the Secretary-General (A/81/287)”; “Debate on the item”. 28 speakers were heard, representing 27 delegations. Rights of reply were exercised 7 times.
Rights of reply · 7
🇮🇱 IsraelFIRST REPLY · in response to Kuwait
Israel categorically rejected what it called baseless accusations by Kuwait, and stated that the term genocide is a legal term with specific elements that must be met, and that no judgment has been rendered in this regard.▶ 3:08:14
Israel stated that those who should be characterized as perpetrators of genocidal terrorist acts were the Hamas Nuhba combatants of the October 7th massacre, and that Hamas leadership openly declares it would repeat it, which it called a genocidal agenda.
First Committee, 16th meeting of the 81st session. Agenda item taken up: “Thematic discussion on specific subjects and introduction and consideration of all draft resolutions and decisions submitted under agenda items (from 92 to 109)”. 29 speakers were heard, representing 27 delegations. Rights of reply were exercised 10 times.
Rights of reply · 10
🇷🇺 Russian FederationSECOND REPLY · in response to United States, Finland
Russian Federation stated that all Russian activity in space, including that related to Cosmos 2612, was purely peaceful and in line with its international obligations, and urged the US to support the Russian draft resolution being presented in the fourth committee of the General Assembly.▶ 2:44:48
Third Committee, 23rd meeting of the 81st session. Agenda item taken up: “Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Promotion and protection of human rights, Implementation of human rights instruments, Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives - Item 70 (b), 70, 70 (a), 70 (c), 70 (d) (A/81/215, A/81/227, A/81/166)”. 24 speakers were heard, representing 23 delegations.
Fourth Committee, 11th meeting of the 81st session. Agenda items taken up: item 45, “Effects of atomic radiation”; “15:00: Deadline for submission of proposals on "International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space"”; “Introductory statement, interactive dialogue, general debate and action on proposal”; and 1 more. 18 speakers were heard, representing 17 delegations. The Chair announced: “May I take it that the committee wishes to adopt draft resolution A/C.4/81/L.6 without a vote.”
Actions taken
The Chair announced: “May I take it that the committee wishes to adopt draft resolution A/C.4/81/L.6 without a vote.”▶ 1:56:31
Points of disagreement
Cuba regretted that financial restrictions faced by the United Nations and operational limitations have continued to affect the Scientific Committee's work and mandate, leading to the postponement of its 73rd session.
Sixth Committee, 23rd meeting of the 81st session. Agenda items taken up: item 80, “Expulsion of aliens”; “Responsibility of international organizations - Item 87 (A/81/83, A/81/222)”. 24 speakers were heard, representing 23 delegations.
Points of disagreement
Kingdom of the Netherlands stated that at this point in time it cannot support a convention or any other form of codification on the basis of these draft articles.▶ 36:35
Key points
Russian Federation stated that the ILC draft articles on expulsion of aliens had not entirely met expectations, remained far from a basis for a new universal convention, and were not seen as a suitable foundation for a universal treaty, though they could be retained as a useful recommendatory document.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina stated that the genocide in Srebrenica is a legally established fact, not a matter of opinion, and that denying it is denial of genocide.▶ 3:11:26
🇰🇼 KuwaitFIRST REPLY
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation takes its right to reply, to exercise it. And to start, uh Mr. Chair, it is beyond me and my delegation to listen to the representative of the occupying power advocating for international law. This is the true irony in this hall. Let me remind the delegation of the occupying power of…”▶ 3:15:05
🇷🇸 SerbiaSECOND REPLY
Serbia stated that Serbia as a state was not responsible for the events in Srebrenica, that many crimes against Serbs had not been established, and that it was questionable whether Srebrenica was genocide.▶ 2:17:29
🇮🇱 IsraelSECOND REPLY · in response to Kuwait
Israel said that no judgment deals with the so called allegations of genocide, ethnic cleansing or apartheid, that the ICJ advisory opinion cited is not a contentious case, and that this was a mistake or another attempt to spread misinformation and political manipulation.▶ 3:21:50
🇮🇷 Islamic Republic of IranSECOND REPLY · in response to Kuwait
Islamic Republic of Iran stated that on 28 February 2026 its country was subjected to what it called blatant aggression by the United States and what it called the Israeli genocidal regime, enabled and facilitated, in its account, including through the aerospace and territory of the state of Kuwait.▶ 3:23:56
Islamic Republic of Iran called for the delegation of Kuwait to explain why its territory was used for aggression against Iran, citing submissions to the UN Security Council on US aircraft operating from Kuwait, and expressed expectation of good neighborliness from Kuwait.▶ 3:23:56
🇧🇦 Bosnia and HerzegovinaSECOND REPLY · in response to Serbia
“Thank you, Mr. President. Of course, I'm saying this. Because of the people who want to listen and who this what we are talking about may reach to for the sake of truth and uh legal facts. Uh to my distinguished representative of Serbia, I can say only that you can try to deny or completely revise history as you are do…”▶ 3:26:26
Points of disagreement
Germany regretted that the Security Council had not adapted the mechanism's mandate this year and that the Russian Federation, in its letters, called into question the mechanism's continuation, stating that under paragraph 17 of Resolution 1966 the mandate continues.▶ 50:42
Slovenia rejected any attempt to rewrite history for the glorification of convicted war criminals or the denial of atrocities, and reiterated its continued support for the mechanism in its residual phase.▶ 1:15:01
Sierra Leone regretted that a new chair of the informal working group on international tribunals had yet to be selected, owing to the impasse on selecting chairs of Security Council subsidiary bodies.▶ 1:47:20
Bosnia and Herzegovina stated that Ratko Mladič was buried with full military honors in the presence of six government ministers from the Republic of Serbia, and cited the International Court of Justice finding that Serbia breached the genocide convention by failing to prevent genocide and punish perpetrators.▶ 2:39:40
Key points
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution as soon as possible, saying it was a matter of political, legal and financial responsibility and was needed to appoint a prosecutor, give certainty to budgetary planning and determine next steps towards an orderly closure of the mechanism's activities.▶ 29:34
New Zealand, on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, reaffirmed strong support for the work of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and its vital role in preserving the legacies of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.▶ 36:57
Latvia, on behalf of three Baltic states Estonia, Lithuania, stated that attempts by the Russian Federation to deny that the mechanism's mandate has been extended and that it continues to exist were inconsistent with Security Council Resolution 1966 2010, and that no decision to discontinue the mandate had been adopted.▶ 41:57
🇺🇸 United StatesFIRST REPLY · in response to Ukraine
“Thank you, Chair. The United States notes the comments from the Russian delegation yesterday regarding the U.S. cooperative biological activities and wishes to exercise our right of reply in response to these repeated allegations, which were made at the last as the last comment before we moved on to a new cluster. Let …”▶ 2:47:31
🇷🇺 Russian FederationSECOND REPLY · in response to United States
“Thank you, mister Chairman. We would like to request uh clarification as we We thought that uh we had uh we had finished work on the second cluster yesterday. All statements under the right of reply were uh completed on that cluster today. We're not discussing we haven't discussed the second cluster. And at the end of …”▶ 2:48:05
🇺🇸 United StatesSECOND REPLY
“Thank you, Chair. Let me be clear. Russia's allegations against the United States and Ukraine are false. As we stated yesterday, the United States is in full compliance with its obligations under the BWC. It does not develop or possess biological or toxin weapons anywhere. All of our biological activities are for purpo…”▶ 2:56:06
🇷🇺 Russian FederationSECOND REPLY
Russian Federation stated that the Russian Armed Forces act in accordance with international humanitarian law on the use of mines, that Russia fulfils its obligations under Protocol 2 and Protocol 5, and that the goals of the special military operation would be fully met.▶ 2:58:19
Lithuania emphasized that the Russian Federation was not in a position to lecture on withdrawals from a Convention to which it was not a party, citing what it called Russia's deliberate targeting of civilians and extensive and indiscriminate use of cluster munitions and mines in Ukraine.▶ 3:03:08
Lithuania stated that Lithuania's decisions on the Ottawa and Oslo conventions followed broad consultations domestically and with partners, were taken in full transparency and in full accordance with the conventions' provisions, and that it continued to value their humanitarian character.▶ 3:03:08
🇺🇦 UkraineFIRST REPLY · in response to Russian Federation
Ukraine stated that Ukraine had made a difficult but necessary political decision to stop implementing certain obligations under the Ottawa Convention, citing what it called Russia's mass use of anti-personal mines and Ukraine's right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.▶ 3:04:26
European UnionFIRST REPLY
European Union stated that Russia must fully comply with international humanitarian law, that those responsible for serious violations must be held accountable, and that the EU will continue to support surveying, clearing and disposing of mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine, along with risk education and victim assistance.▶ 3:07:01
🇷🇺 Russian FederationSECOND REPLY
“Mr. Chairman, we'd like to react very briefly to the spurious uh accusations against the Russian Federation by a number of uh delegations who just spoke. I would like to assure all delegation all these delegations that the special military operation is being conducted by the Russian Federation in full compliance with i…”▶ 3:08:32
Points of disagreement
Cuba opposed the extension of an arms race in outer space, the refinement of space weaponry, and the presence or placement of military material there; it described the United States' acknowledgement of deploying weapons in outer space as further evidence of what it called an unceasing quest for military and imperialist domination.▶ 1:01:32
Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemned the US and the Israeli regime for what it called destructive policies and activities that threaten international peace and security and accelerate an arms race in outer space, including deployment of weapons in outer space and offensive military space capabilities used in aggression against Iran.▶ 1:33:35
Ukraine expressed concern over information presented by the United States on Russia's development of a space based nuclear device and on Cosmos 2612, stating that placing nuclear weapons in orbit would constitute a flagrant violation of Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty.▶ 1:42:19
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its member states, expressed concern over massive contamination from antipersonal mines and explosive remnants of war in what it called Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and urged Russia to adhere to its international legal obligations, including international humanitarian law and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.▶ 2:11:02
Key points
Republic of Korea presented a report on the third session of the open-ended working group on the prevention of armed race in the outer space in all its aspects, which met in July and continued its substantive consideration of the issues under Agenda Item 6.▶ 16:59
Indonesia expressed concern over threats to the security and sustainability of outer space, including weaponization and militarization, as reflected in recent declarations concerning deployment of onorbit space control weapons.▶ 52:53
New Zealand, on behalf of Khan's group, expressed concern over civilian suffering caused by armed conflict, noting that conventional weapons are destroying lives and essential services and that explosive remnants of war prevent communities from returning home, and citing the Cluster Munition Monitor figure of more than 1,000 people killed or injured in 2025.▶ 1:59:39
Cuba condemned what it called illegal actions by the United States, including extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean under what it called the false pretext of combating drugs trafficking, and said the international community should not remain silent.▶ 24:42
Ukraine stated that Russia systematically denied independent monitors access to detention facilities and temporarily occupied territories, concealing the true scale of violations, and that these figures were almost certainly only the tip of the iceberg.▶ 44:09
Islamic Republic of Iran stated that what it called brutal and unlawful acts of military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran had caused significant environmental damage, as well as loss of human life and destruction of infrastructure.▶ 2:12:49
Key points
special rapporteur on extra extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions presented the sixth and final thematic report, on the challenge and urgent need to recognize, better investigate and more effectively intervene to prevent unlawful deaths of older persons.▶ 15:29
Sweden, on behalf of eight Nordic and Baltic countries, welcomed the Special Rapporteur's report on the arbitrary deprivation of life of older persons, and noted with interest the call for an addendum to the Minnesota Protocol providing specialized guidance for investigating potentially unlawful deaths of older persons.▶ 40:58
Switzerland reiterated that states are obliged to fully respect international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law, in the fight against terrorism.▶ 1:19:25
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its member states, commended the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation for its valuable contributions to expanding knowledge on the levels, effects, and risks of exposure to ionizing radiation on both human health and the environment.▶ 32:30
Viet Nam, on behalf of Association of Saudi Asian Nations ASEAN, welcomed UNSCEAR's continued scientific assessments of radiation exposure and its effects on human health and the environment, including the recent adoption of reports on epidemiological studies of ionizing radiations and cancers and on effects on the circulatory systems.▶ 38:05
Pakistan expressed concern that financial constraints, staffing shortages, and administrative difficulties had affected the delivery of the committee's program of work, delayed scientific publications and evaluations, and resulted in postponement of its 72nd session to 2027.▶ 46:56
Bangladesh stated that Draft Article 3 affirms a state's right to expel an alien but requires expulsion to respect international law; the sovereign right is exercised under law, and Draft Articles 4, 9 and 10 set requirements of lawful decision, no collective expulsion and no disguised expulsion.▶ 1:14:43
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, stated that the later stage envisaged by the Commission for considering a convention on the draft articles on the responsibility of international organizations had not yet been reached, and that the draft articles already provided a useful reference together with their commentaries.▶ 1:26:20
No statement in this meeting could be attributed to a named speaker with enough confidence to be summarised.
Agenda
Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives - Item 82 (A/81/209)
Expulsion of aliens - Item 80
Attributed to a named speaker 0% · unattributed 100% · Chair 0% · 1 statement not attributed to a named speaker