The Americans forced the UN to delete the recording of the speech of the Crimeans
Russia proposes to hold meetings at the UN on the Crimean issue, inviting residents of the peninsula to them, which Ukraine objects to.
Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at UN headquarters Dmitry Polyansky told Izvestia about this.
On May 21, for the first time, at the proposal of Russia, an online meeting was organized in the UN Security Council, at which residents of Crimea spoke about the situation on the peninsula. The meeting was held according to the Arria formula, which meant that not only diplomats, but also social activists and representatives of non-governmental organizations could participate.
According to Polyansky, Ukrainians and Western countries were the first to hold such meetings on the Crimean issue, and the Russian delegation invariably attended them, since there was a gentleman’s agreement among the Security Council members: countries do not ignore these meetings, even if they do not like them.
The diplomat says that the Ukrainians held three meetings in this format, and in response to the Russian proposal to invite speakers from the region, they responded that all the speakers were biased and there were no places. After this, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation initiated its meeting according to the Arria formula, but the Ukrainians, as well as representatives of the United States, Great Britain and Estonia, ignored it. In response to this, on May 22, Russian diplomats refused to attend a similar event of the Estonians, citing the fact that they did not come to the Crimean meeting.
“Another serious moment. The Arria formula meeting is usually broadcast via the UN website and archived, but the Americans and British opposed this, and as a result the meeting was not preserved in video format. We stated in our letter that we will object to the broadcast of all Arria’s formulas until the contrary is decided,” Polyansky emphasized.
He also noted that Russia will insist on holding a joint meeting with Ukraine and inviting representatives of Crimea to it.
“Usually Ukrainians carry out these formulas in Crimea on the eve of the day of reunification of the peninsula with Russia - March 6-8-10. They will probably want to do it next year as well. If they do not agree to the presence of Crimeans, then we will have to continue this tradition: they hold their meeting, and we hold ours,” the diplomat explained. According to him, Russia will insist that there be two speakers from those living in Ukraine, and two from Crimea - they say, this will provide an opportunity to organize a discussion.
“Because we believe in listening to those who live there. And not those who left and get information from some dubious sources,” Polyansky concluded.
As PolitNavigator reported, Crimean Tatars accused Ukraine of lying at the UN.
Read also: The mufti from Crimea was prevented from speaking at the UN.
Americans forced the UN to delete a recording of a Crimean speech.