First Committee, 18th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

🇰🇵 Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 🇮🇱 Israel, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇺🇦 Ukraine, 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea, 🇮🇷 Islamic Republic of Iran, 🇷🇺 Russian Federation

1. Round 1
   🇰🇵 Democratic People's Republic of KoreaFirst replyin response to Republic of Korea, Ukraine▶ 2:36:31 · 3 min

   Thank you, Chair, for the floor. My delegation is compelled to take the floor to exercise its right of reply in response to the reckless and provocative accusations of the ROK and Ukraine. New danger of war is prevailing along the southern border of the DPRK due to the reckless behavior of the ROK. The mine explosion case that the ROK keeps repeating like a pre recorded answering machine is a sinister, obstructive move intended to brand our exercise of sovereignty. the fortification of the southern border as a military invasion, and this is no more than a poor trick of the ROK to shift the blame of its own accident onto us. The ROK seeks to hold the DPRK accountable for this unilaterally fabricated and premeditated farce and tanish the latter's international image. It is a grave provocation never to be overlooked and a venton violation of our sovereignty that deserves sure punishment. My delegation categorically rejects the despicable attempt of the ROK and clarifies that our state will exercise its just sovereign rights in a more resolute and bold manner to ensure the security of the southern border. As already clarified, the DPRK will never discuss with the enemy country the issue of exercising its military sovereignty within its territory But defend its territorial sovereignty by sorely exercising its power, not by negotiations. I take this opportunity to reaffirm that it is the official stand of the DPRK government and to respond to the allegation of Ukraine. The DPRK's relational cooperation with Russian Federation cannot be subject to interference of a third party in any case, as they are the exercise of legitimate rights under the bilateral treaty. The UN Charter stipulates as one of the main purposes of the UN to develop friendly relations among nations on the principle of equality and self determination and the declaration of the principles of international law on friendship and cooperation among nations under the UN Charter, adopted by Resolution 2625 of the UNGA, specifies that any country or group of state Has no right to interfere in the internal and external affairs of other countries. What should be rejected in the present international relations are bad behaviors of certain countries, openly conducted worldwide, in contravention of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, which disallow the use of and threat by force against the political independence and territorial integrity of any country. I thank you.

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2. 🇮🇱 IsraelFirst reply▶ 2:39:37 · 4 min

   Uh I suppose to have four and a half minutes. Thank you. Chair, Israel is committed to security, peace and the rule of law, even under the most complex conditions. For three years, Israel has been engaged in a war against terrorist groups that operate throughout the Middle East and undermine regional stability. This war was imposed on us following the abhorrent terrorist attack of October seventh, twenty twenty three, which the NAM has never seen fit to mention. We regret the NAM statement, which makes accusations that depart from professional discourse in order to advance political narratives and agendas entirely disconnected from reality. In all of its military actions, Israel has acted in a manner consistent with international law and with a clear objective of eliminating threats posed by its adversaries. It is therefore deeply regrettable that Denam failed to mention the real destabilizer of the region, a state that is a member of the movement, the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian regime has systematically supplied terrorist organizations beyond its borders, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Khouris, with weapons, ammunitions, training, and the logistical means to employ them, in direct controversion of Union Security Council resolutions. Furthermore, Iran is not only proliferating weapons and violence, it has also spearheaded efforts to sow destruction across the region through its own weapons and ballistic activity. Iran has repeatedly and deliberately launched burgers of ballistic missiles and UAVs against more than fifteen countries in the region and beyond, including the use of cluster munitions. with the sole purpose of inflicting maximum death and destruction on civilian population in infrastructure. Chair, Iran has turned the world shipping lanes into tools of correlation. When it threatens vessels in the Strait of Hormuz or attacks shipping in the Red Sea through its proxies, it targets the target is the whole world, and especially the developing economies whose food security depends on open sea lanes. This must be universally condemned. It is telling that a movement that speaks for the developing world is silent about a member state that holds hostage the very roads on which the world that world depends. Equally important, we must not forget the lateral methods and brutality this regime employs against its own people, a population that openly and rightfully seeks for liberty and justice. In January, the regime murdered thousands of Iranians would have meant nothing more than a change in a country's priorities. That the nation's resources be devoted to improving people's life rather than to terrorizing the Iranian people and others around the world. Chair, colleagues, Iran's destructive conduct has a rippling effect that reaches ever further beyond its borders. At home, it brutally kills its own citizens. In the region, it deliberately targets population centers, both through its proxies and through its own military activity. Globally, Iran threatens the freedom of navigation on which the world trade depends. It is also accelerating its ballistic capabilities in order to reach and terrorize well beyond the region. Through its proxies and its support from aligned groups, Iran spreads terror from Europe to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This is not only Israel's problem. This is a problem for all of us. I thank you, Chair.

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3. 🇺🇸 United StatesFirst replyin response to Islamic Republic of Iran▶ 2:43:45 · 1 min

   Thank you, Chair. The United States takes the floor briefly to reply to the remarks by the delegation of Iran. The United States transfers conventional arms lawfully and transparently. Each transfer goes through a rigorous national export control review and is subject to congressional oversight. These transfers support the inherent right of individual and collective self defense, recognized in Article 51 of the UN Charter. We also note that restrictions on conventional arms transfers to and from Iran are again in effect. Yet Iran keeps supplying weapons to armed groups across the region, which is inconsistent with those obligations and with the goals of this committee. We reject the basis for the inaccurate portrayal of U.S. conventional arms transfers and call on Iran to comply fully with its own obligations. Thank you, Chair.

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4. 🇵🇱 PolandFirst replyin response to Russian Federation▶ 2:44:57 · 4 min

   Chair, I exercise my right of reply to comment on the Russian remarks. And I would like to start with the obvious. Russia is not in a position to instruct other states to fulfil international obligations and respect international law. Russia has never been a party to the APMBC, nor has it ever limited itself by its provisions. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Russia employs landmines extensively, particularly in Ukraine. And yet that same Russia has the audacity to lecture others, including Ukraine, on the matters of rightful and humanitarian behavior. That kind of hypocrisy can be delivered only by the most sophisticated propagandists from the Kremlin. Chair, yesterday Russian delegate was kind enough to offer his advice concerning regional security in Europe. According to the Russian delegation, military buildup of the West does not help ease the tensions on the eastern border. Well, as a representative of the region, I beg to differ. I would rather say that invading neighbors, waging illegal war, kidnapping children, and targeting civilian infrastructure do not help ease the tensions. I would even say that these activities of Russia, realized in full swing in Ukraine, are provocative, reckless, and nothing but escalatory. Chair, I said it here last year and I will repeat it today. Let's not confuse the cause with the effect. If Russia had not invaded Ukraine, we would all be living in a more secure world now. Because Kiev would not be forced to defend itself against Russia's insatiable appetite for the territories of its neighbors. Moscow wants us to be afraid and out of fear to abandon our values, withdraw our support for Ukraine, and seek a deal with aggressor. It is not going to happen. We stand with our brave friends from Ukraine and we are proud of it. Chair, for those who may not know how to read or rather debunk Russia's remarks, I would like to offer my humble services. You see, Chair, Poland, along with several other states in this room, may provide some experience-based help. And the Russian statements we have heard can be really confusing. So, without further ado, when the Russians say, we are coming to the rescue, or even better, peoples of these regions chose to be part of Russia, just as they refer to the regions of Ukraine they are occupying, they most likely inform you that they are going to invade you. Last time it happened to us in the 1940s, and trust me, they stayed for decades clearly unwilling to leave. And Ukraine is experiencing this generous rescue offer right now, as we speak. Secondly, when the Russians say we are provoked by the West, we have to defend ourselves, they simply mean we will continue our policy of provoking you under the fresh world war and we will act as if we were a victim. Examples unprovoked ASPES violations and acts of sabotage. Happened inter alia in Germany, Romania, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, and my own country, Poland. So, Mr. Chair, no wonder dear Russian delegates use the term special operation to state they are waging illegal war in Ukraine. They are simply not used to telling the truth. They do not know other reality. I hope this short explanation was useful and illustrative, and now everyone in this room knows what our Russian colleagues mean when they take the floor. Thank you, Chair.

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5. 🇺🇦 UkraineFirst replyin response to Russian Federation▶ 2:48:42 · 2 min

   Thank you. Mr. Chair, our delegation is compelled to take the floor in response to the statement made by the delegation of the Russian Federation. Let us be clear. Russia is an aggressive state and Ukraine is defending itself in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Ukraine remains firmly committed to international humanitarian law and to fulfilling its international obligations in the field of conventional arms control. Ukraine continues to uphold the fundamental principles of IHL, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects. On the contrary, the Russian Federation continues to employ virtually every category of conventional weapon in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Including b ballistic and cruise missiles, attack drones, including jet power drones, heavy artillery, cluster munitions, incendiary weapons, anti-personnel mines, as well as booby traps and other explosive devices. Russia systematically uses these weapons to deliberately target and kill Ukrainian civilians, destroy residential areas, hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and other critical civilian infrastructure, seeking to inflict maximum deaths, suffering, and destruction upon the Ukrainian people. Russia's actions constitute flagrant violations of fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including those enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in times of war and additional Protocol one to the Geneva Conventions of twelfth august nineteen forty nine. Furthermore, under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitutes a war crime. I reiterate that war crimes and crimes against humanity are not subject to any statute. Statute of limitations, Ukraine's competent authorities are documenting these Russian atrocities and opening criminal proceedings to bring those responsible to justice. We call on all our partners, international organizations, to respond decisively and firmly to these Russian crimes in a manner commensurate with their unprecedented scale and brutality. Ukraine will remain committed to international humanitarian law and to the protection of civilians. We will continue exercising our inherent right of self defense. Using the means necessary to protect our sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, in accordance with international law. Thank you.

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6. 🇰🇷 Republic of KoreaFirst replyin response to Democratic People's Republic of Korea▶ 2:51:07 · 2 min

   Thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation did not intend to take the floor again, but we are compelled to do so in response to the statement made by the representative of the DPRK. The Republic of Korea firmly points out that the DPRK's allegation that the Republic of Korea is engaging in provocations in the DMZ and heightening the uh tension on the Korean peninsula is entirely groundless and distorts the fact. The government of the Republic Korea has consistently pursued peaceful coexistence on the Korean peninsula. In that spirit, last year, we took the initiative to suspend its loudspeaker broadcast toward the DPRK and we even dismantled them in the frontline areas. Despite these sustained efforts, the DPRK has continued its so-called border fortification activities activities and including laying mines south of the MDL, thereby heightening tensions in inter-Korean border areas. Laying mines south of the MDL by the DPRK constitutes a clear violation of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement. As confirmed by the United Nations Command on September 30. This morning, the ROK submitted a letter to the United to the President of the United Security Council detailing these relevant facts. Once again, the Republic of Korea urges the DPRK to immediately seize all acts that escalate tensions, to apologize and take responsible measures. We hope that DPRK will take this opportunity to engage in dialogue to ease the tensions and restore trust. Thank you.

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7. 🇮🇷 Islamic Republic of IranFirst replyin response to United States▶ 2:53:16 · 4 min

   Thank you, Mr. Chair. In response to the statement delivered by the representative of the Israeli terrorist regime, as well as the rights of reply, we have just heard from the representatives of the Israeli regime and the United States. I see no need to dignify those unfounded and absurd remarks with a detailed reply. Nevertheless, I must put some facts on record regarding the persistent practice of this regime of portraying resistance groups in our region as terrorists. By arbitrarily branding anyone who resists its aggression as a terrorist, the Israeli regime seeks to delegitimize resistance and obscure the root causes of the conflict. Such politically motivated labels may serve its propaganda and that of its complicit backers, particularly the United States, but they will not deceive the international community. The fundamental question is this. But explain the root causes of resistance in our region. The Israeli regime and its supporters have a simple story to tell. These are terrorist groups. But if we are serious about understanding the situation, we must look beyond these labels and examine how the Israeli regime was created and the historical circumstances that gave rise to resistance. Let us look at the historical reality. The Zionist movement sought to settle on a land already inhabited by Palestinians. This involved taking the land and homes of the indigenous population and transferring them to Zionist settlers. The Palestinians were not going to simply surrender their homes, their land, and their rights without resistance. It should come as no surprise that they resisted. How could it be otherwise? This was not an empty land waiting to be settled. It was a land inhabited by a people with their own homes, communities, and history. The Zionist leadership understood that the Palestinians would resist the loss of their land. That resistance was a forcible consequence of this position. It is important to understand that even leading Zionists recognized this reality. Let me recall two statements from David Bengorian, the leading Zionist who became the first prime minister of the Israeli regime. The first is, and I quote, Why should the Arabs make peace? If I were an Arab leader, I would never make terms with Israel. End of quote. And the second, and I quote, they only see one thing. We have come, we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that? End of quote. Mr. Chair, distinguished colleagues. That is the historical context that the Israeli regime and its Western supporters, particularly the United States, seeks to conceal. The root causes of Palestinian resistance cannot be understood without acknowledging occupation and the denial of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self determination. Finally, how is it that a regime that has stolen and occupied Palestinian and other Arab lands is permitted to possess an extensive arsenal of conventional and unconventional weapons and to be armed to the teeth by the United States and its Western allies? Enabling it to commit aggression against Palestine, Iran and other countries in the region, to drop 2,000 pound American bombs on innocent civilians, massacre them, destroy their homes and infrastructure, and even destroyed peaceful nuclear facilities while denying the victims of its aggression the right to defend themselves. The victims of aggression, including Iran, will never simply surrender. We will resist and ensure that the aggressors are held accountable. No one should be surprised by this. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

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8. Round 2
   🇷🇺 Russian FederationSecond replyin response to Poland, Ukraine▶ 2:57:50 · 2 min

   Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We had to take the floor again because once again we are hearing unrealistic presentations of the Russian Federation that we categorically uh reject. The root causes of the Ukrainian crisis is something we've repeatedly explained to the international community, in particular to the delegations of the first committee, so that Poland and Ukraine don't have to uh talk about this anymore. I really want everybody else to understand the truth. As regards the violation of IHL that we are being accused of, we fully comply with all requirements of IHL. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, right from the start of the conflict, is working in line with the Geneva Conventions of 49 and its protocols and on mines, being strictly ruled by IHL. We work in line with all international treaties. The aims of the Russian forces are, and the targets rather, are purely military infrastructure and military targets, not civilians, whatever Ukraine and Western European countries are trying to say to the contrary. Unfortunately, we can't talk about the same for the Kiev regime. Their aim is to cause as much damage as possible on civilians and to destroy civilian infrastructure within the Russian Federation. We have already provided horrific statistics for about the victims of Ukrainian strikes. And we reiterate that the real reason for the difficulties is because of the work of the Ukrainian units and placing uh heavy equipment in residential neighborhoods, using people as human shields and using them for military targets. The West keeping silent about this situation just talks about egregious double standards and their collusion in these egregious rights violations. Once again, I reiterate in any circumstances, the aims of the special military operation will be achieved, whatever the circumstances. Thank you.

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9. Round 3
   🇰🇵 Democratic People's Republic of KoreaSecond replyin response to Republic of Korea▶ 3:00:23 · 1 min

   Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. My delegation is compelled to exercise its second right of reply in response to the sophistry made by the ROK. It is deeply regrettable that the ROK delegation continues to take confrontational attitude which hinders the progress of the discussion of this committee. My delegation once again rejects the despicable allegations of the depu of the ROK and urges ROK to stop the sordid attempt aimed at tanishing. The international image of the DPRK. My delegation wants the ROK against its reckless act of aggravating the situation by consistently threatening the border security of the DPRK and the safety of our service personnel and its provocative military exercise of aggression. Within the territory where our sovereignty is exercised, the project of fortifying the southern border will be surely and successfully continued according to our timetable. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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10. 🇺🇦 UkraineSecond replyin response to Russian Federation▶ 3:01:33 · 2 min

    Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are compelled to take the floor again to exercise our right of reply in response to yet another attempt by the Russian delegation to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine, including under the label of so called special military operation. Russia continues to wage a war of aggression against Ukraine in fragment violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter. Russia's attempts to justify full-scale invasion of Ukraine under fabricated pretext have no basis in international law. None of these arguments provides a lawful justification for the use of force against a sovereign state. The International Court of Justice, in its order of sixteenth march twenty twenty two, directed Russia to immediately suspend the military operations. It commenced on 24 February 2022 in the territory of Ukraine. The N General Assembly, in a number of its resolutions, condemned in the strongest terms Russia's aggression against Ukraine and demanded that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its. All its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. Mr. Chair, Russia's aggression is accompanied by grave violations of international humanitarian law, including repeated attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Russia cannot invoke international law selectively while systematically violating its most fundamental principles. Ukraine, on the other hand, is exercising its inherent right of self defense as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Ukraine remains committed to complying with international humanitarian law and its applicable international obligations in the field of arms control. Now we reiterate that the Russian Federation must cease its aggression, withdraw its forces from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine, and comply fully with its obligations under the UN Charter and international law. Russia must be judged not by its words, but by its deeds, and those did speak for themselves. Aggression, occupation, widespread destruction, and countless atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people. As the saying goes, by their fruits you shall know them. Thank you.

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11. 🇷🇺 Russian FederationFirst replyin response to Estonia▶ 3:03:55 · 2 min

    Thank you, Mr. Chair. We had to respond to the astonishing anti-Russian statement by the Delegation of Estonia. We decisively reject the completely unjustified accusations against us. One has the impression that some states see the aim of their participation in the work of the First Committee as disseminating disinformation against the Russian Federation. That's their role. We drew attention to the need to provide evidence when pinning responsibility for various different operations on states. In line with the General Assembly Resolution 7327, accusations of carrying out unlawful acts against states must be justified. A state must study if there is a ICT incident, all relevant information, in particular the broader context for the event, the problem of establishing responsibility for the ICT sphere, and also the very nature and scope of the responsibility. I'd like to remind you that in order to conduct an investigation into Alia to find out about the true sources of such activities, there are specialized channels between various different departments and agencies. I'm talking about the global focal points, for example, for exchanging information about computer incidents. The participants involve 125 different countries. I'd underscore that there were no official complaints to us regarding this. We believe this as a l evidence of a lack of evidence, in fact, against Russia. It's clear that those accusers are not interested in a professional investigation but just creating uh a real media buzz around this because once again we've heard accusations against my delegation of violating international humanitarian law. And I would like to reiterate what I was uh saying and refer to what I said in terms of my right of reply regarding the previous cluster. I thank you.

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Verbatim from the transcript. A reply is identified from its own words, the Chair's grant, or its place in the right-of-reply sequence; delegations and addressees follow the transcript's attribution.