Opposition Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer immediately called for Johnson and Sunak’s resignations….reports Ashish Ray
Financial penalties have been imposed on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak by Londons Metropolitan Police for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules. Johnsons wife Carrie has also been fined.
Johnson and Sunak are otherwise in the middle of a tense relationship after the tax affairs of the latter’s wife, Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, became public.
Such information is meant to be confidential at all times with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. A section of the British press has insinuated that Johnson’s loyalists may have been behind the leak.
The fines on Johnson, Sunak and Carrie were confirmed by government officials, who did not specify which event or events the penalties are linked to. It was previously reported, though, that the three were at a gathering for the Prime Minister’s birthday in June 2020.
The Met, popularly known as Scotland Yard, has been investigating 12 rule breaking parties at 10 Downing Street, the office-cum-residence of the British Prime Minister. It has so far issued an estimated 50 fines to various individuals.
Opposition Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer immediately called for Johnson and Sunak’s resignations.
He said: “Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must resign.”
Johnson is also accused of misleading the Parliament, which is a resignable offence.
However, it is really up to his Conservative party to decide whether it wants to change its leader in mid-term.
Johnson had insisted in the House of Commons that “guidelines were followed at all times”.
This has now turned out to be untrue. He apologised for attending a drinks party at his garden with an unconvincing excuse that he believed it was a work event.
An inquiry by a senior civil servant, Sue Gray, found that there had been a failure of leadership’. This has effectively been confirmed by the police.
Social media reflected that the British public were pleased. It’s a great moment for democracy when a law enforcement body proclaims an incumbent Prime Minister to be guilty of an offence and slaps a penalty on him.
In a letter to PM Boris Johnson published, Sunak said he wants a probe by the government’s adviser on ministerial standards to help ensure the public “retain confidence in the answers they are given.”
Rishi Sunak asked for a formal review into whether he properly declared his financial interests, as the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer tries to defuse a row over his tax affairs that threatens to derail his career.
In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson published late Sunday, Sunak said he wants a probe by the government’s adviser on ministerial standards to help ensure the public “retain confidence in the answers they are given.”
The move comes as he faces intense pressure to lay out the details of his and his family’s financial arrangements. It emerged last week his millionaire wife, Akshata Murthy, holds non-domicile status and was not paying UK taxes on her overseas income and the chancellor held a US green card — proof of permanent residency — which he only gave up more than a year and a half into his current role.
The opposition Labour Party said it wrote to Johnson and the standards adviser earlier Sunday demanding a probe into whether ministerial rules had been broken. “A fish rots from the head, Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said in an emailed statement. “It is the prime minister’s responsibility to bring this debacle to a close by ensuring that standards are upheld across his cabinet.”
The furore compounds the problems facing Sunak, whose popularity has slumped since he was accused of not doing enough to help Britons facing a record slump in living standards. In a mini-budget last month, he went ahead with a levy increase to fund health care and rejected calls to boost welfare payments.
The country’s tax burden now at its highest level since the 1950s, so the backlash when it was revealed Murthy holds so-called non-domicile status — allowing her to not pay British tax on overseas income — was inevitable.
Though she said late Friday she would no longer take advantage of that rule and would now pay UK taxes on her foreign earnings, it is unlikely the scrutiny will fade. Together with the revelation about Sunak’s green card, the reports have fueled the perception the family is not committed to Britain.
By requesting an inquiry, Sunak wants the findings to help draw a line under the issue. But it also carries the risk of keeping the focus on his financial arrangements. Labour is asking if the chancellor has taken advantage of tax havens and demanding “full transparency” on where the family pays taxes.
“I have always followed the rules and I hope such a review will provide further clarity,” Sunak said on Twitter where he posted the letter to Johnson.
Outstanding job
PM Johnson has so far defended Sunak, telling reporters on Friday the chancellor is doing an “outstanding job” — though he also said he had not been aware of Murthy’s tax status.
The fallout illustrates the dramatic turnaround in their fortunes. Just weeks ago Johnson was clinging to power, with members of his Conservative Party threatening to oust him over allegations of rule-breaking parties during the pandemic. At the time, Mr Sunak was seen as Johnson’s most likely successor.
Boris Johnson hosts the Prime Ministers Business Council alongside the Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer and leading business figures in 10 Downing Street. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
That was before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Johnson’s personal approval ratings have recovered and several Tory MPs have said an international crisis is not the time for a leadership change.
Now the question is whether PM Johnson keeps Sunak in the role, as some Tories speculate about a change in chancellor during a ministerial shuffle in the coming months.
Different views
The country’s two most powerful politicians have very different economic approaches, with Johnson more inclined toward spending on big infrastructure projects and the chancellor — the tax rises on his watch not withstanding — styling himself as a low-tax, fiscal conservative.
Sunak’s slumping popularity helps solidify Johnson’s position by removing an obvious challenger, but it also carries big risks. The reports about the chancellor’s wealth and his family’s tax affairs play into Labour’s regular attack on the Tories, that “it is one rule for them and another for the rest of us.”
Local elections in London and across much of the UK on May 5, therefore, loom large for PM Johnson, Sunak and the Tories — especially if the cost-of-living crisis hits support for the party.
“Today I have written to the Prime Minister asking him to refer my ministerial declarations to the Independent Advisor on Ministers’ Interests. I have always followed the rules and I hope such a review will provide further clarity,” he tweeted.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the new Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Welwyn Garden City alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid. The prime minister says the new Health and Social Care Levy will tackle the Covid backlogs; deliver millions more checks, tests and procedures besides will make the social care system fairer for everyone. Over the next three years £39 billion will be invested in the health & social care system to ensure it has the long-term resource it needs. (Pictures by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street)
The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning a visit to India towards the end of this month with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties against the backdrop of the ongoing India-UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, according to official sources.
The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While Downing Street is yet to confirm any details, an in-person meeting was discussed during a phone call between Johnson and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month.
The leaders welcomed India and the UK’s strong and prosperous relationship, and agreed to continue to build on trade, security and business ties in the coming weeks and months. They looked forward to meeting in-person at the earliest opportunity, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout of the call on March 22.
Last week, Downing Street sources said that Johnson was very keen to visit India for talks with his Indian counterpart Modi, though firm plans are yet to be fully drawn up.
The two leaders last met in-person on the sidelines of the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow in November last year, when their bilateral talks during the World Leaders’ Summit focussed on the India-UK climate partnership as well as a review of the 2030 Roadmap which they had signed during a virtual summit in May 2021.
The Roadmap, which aims to at least double bilateral trade between India and the UK by 2030, is part of Britain’s so-called Indo-Pacific foreign policy tilt.
A trade deal with India’s booming economy offers huge benefits for British businesses, workers and consumers, Johnson said at the formal launch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks earlier this year.
The UK has world-class businesses and expertise we can rightly be proud of, from Scotch whisky distillers to financial services and cutting-edge renewable technology.
“We are seizing the opportunities offered in growing economies of the Indo-Pacific to cement our place on the global stage and deliver jobs and growth at home,” he said in January.
The conflict in Ukraine and the UK’s leading role in imposing stringent sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime is also likely to feature strongly during talks between Johnson and Modi.
It will follow UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss’ visit to Delhi last week, when she held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and also joined him at the first India-UK Strategic Futures Forum.
On Ukraine, India reiterated that the immediate cessation of violence and return to dialogue and diplomacy is the key to long term peace in the region, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said with reference to the ministerial talks.
Both sides appreciated the substantial progress made in the India-UK FTA negotiations with two productive rounds already completed since their launch in January 2022, it noted.
The third round of India-UK FTA talks, scheduled to be hosted by India later this month, is likely to be timed around the prime ministerial visit.
Ukraine claims its military has retaken the entire region around the capital, as Russia has withdrawn from key towns..reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for successfully pushing back Russian forces from key regions in the country, including the capital city of Kyiv.
In a telephone call amid reports of Ukrainian forces gaining control of Kyiv, Johnson noted that huge challenges remain in other parts of the country in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase the economic pressure on his war machine.
“The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again this evening. He congratulated Ukraine’s brave armed forces for successfully pushing back Russia’s invading army in a number of areas, but recognised the huge challenges that remain and the immense suffering being inflicted on civilians, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The Prime Minister updated President Zelenskyy on the progress made at last week’s military donor conference, convened by the UK with 35 countries, and committed to continue to step up defensive support. President Zelenskyy underscored the urgency of Ukraine’s fight for its survival as a free and democratic nation and the importance of international assistance, the spokesperson said.
Zelenskyy is also said to have updated Johnson on the status of peace negotiations and welcomed further UK involvement in the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to ratchet up sanctions to increase the economic pressure on Putin’s war machine, so long as Russian troops remain on Ukrainian territory, the official added.
Ukraine claims its military has retaken the entire region around the capital, as Russia has withdrawn from key towns.
However, as the Russian forces retreat, there are reports emerging from the ground of mounting civilian attacks.
This evening I spoke to President @ZelenskyyUa. I congratulated his brave armed forces for pushing back Russia’s invading army, but recognise the huge challenges they face and terrible suffering being inflicted on Ukraine’s civilians. 1/2
The UK and other NATO allies have warned Russia against such war crimes, with Britain pledging to fully support any investigations by the International Criminal Court.
As Russian troops are forced into retreat, we are seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement.
Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes. We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation and will ensure that the reality of Russia’s actions are brought to light, she said.
The UK will continue to step up military, economic and diplomatic support, including further ramping up sanctions to increase the economic pressure on Putin’s war machine while Russian troops remain on Ukrainian territory. 2/2
“The UK-led effort to expedite and support an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes in Ukraine was the largest State referral in its history. We will not rest until those responsible for atrocities, including military commanders and individuals in the Putin regime, have faced justice, she added.
The minister, who returned from a whistle-stop visit to India earlier this week, reiterated that it was essential that the international community continues to provide Ukraine with the humanitarian and military support it so dearly needs, and that all countries step up sanctions to cut off funding for Putin’s war machine at source.
P&Ochief executive Peter Hebblethwaite said that restructuring our workforce in this way was not a course of action that we ever wanted to take…reports Asian Lite News
The British government said Wednesday that a Dubai government-owned ferry operator at the centre of a bitter UK labour dispute likely broke the law when it fired 786 crew members without notice to replace them with cheaper contract staff.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the callous behaviour of P&O Ferries and said the company appeared to have broken British labor laws.
We will be taking action, Johnson said, adding that the company could “face fines running into millions of pounds if it is found guilty.
P&O Ferries claimed the move was legal because the staff worked on ships registered outside the U.K. The ferry operator acknowledged that the way the dismissals were carried out caused distress for workers and said it had offered generous compensation to those involved.
But the company also said it couldn’t have survived without fundamentally changed crewing arrangements and that it took the action to save 2,200 other jobs. The dismissed seafarers are being replaced by cheaper workers employed by a third-party crew provider.
The staff cuts which came after P&O received millions in British government aid during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused outrage and sparked protests by trade unions at UK ports. P&O canceled all its ferry crossings between Britain, Ireland and continental Europe after the announcement last week, disrupting the movement of both travellers and goods.
Trade unions have long objected to fire and rehire policies that let companies fire staff members and reemploy them on worse terms. Under British labor laws, such extreme action is only meant to be done after extensive employee consultations.
P&O chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite said that restructuring our workforce in this way was not a course of action that we ever wanted to take.
We did this as a last resort and only after full consideration of all other options,” he said in a letter to the government, AP reported.
The letter came in response to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s request for information amid outrage from workers and allegations that P&O violated UK labor laws. Kwarteng last week said it appeared the company hadn’t followed the required process for dismissing large numbers of workers and notified it that failure to do so was a criminal offense that could lead to an unlimited fine.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers reacted angrily to the P&O letter, saying the disgusting statement sought to justify the company’s shameful acts.
The ferry operator, a unit of Dubai-government owned logistics giant DP World, said the dismissed crew members worked on eight ships registered in the Bahamas, Bermuda and Cyprus. They were employed by three P&O units incorporated in Jersey, a self-governing crown dependency that isn’t part of the U.K.
Crew members employed by two other subsidiaries based in France and the Netherlands weren’t fired, P&O said.
P&O gave advance notice of the firings to authorities in the countries where the ships are registered, Hebblethwaite said. As a result, P&O doesn’t believe it violated U.K. laws.
P&O has announced that it will pay workers 13 weeks salary to compensate for the lack of advance notice, and another 13 weeks salary in lieu of consultation. In addition, P&O says dismissed crew members will receive 2 weeks salary for every year of service, instead of the legally required 1 weeks.
About 575 of the dismissed workers have accepted the severance package, P&O said.
But the RMT union said the package amounted to blackmail and threats because workers will only receive a fraction of the payout unless they give up their legal right to file an action with the employment tribunal.
They have ripped away the jobs, careers and pensions of our members and thrown them on the dole with the threat that if they do not sign up and give away their rights they will lose many thousands of pounds in payments, General Secretary Mick Lynch said in a statement.
The Prime Minister and attendees also reflected on the need to build strong skills and supply chains to support the UK nuclear industry…reports Asian Lite News
In a move that would signal a significant shift Britain’s energy mix, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told the nuclear industry that 25% of the country’s electricity will be generated from nuclear power.
Johnson on Monday met executives from major nuclear utilities and technology companies including Rolls-Royce, France’s EDF, and the US’s Westinghouse and Bechtel to discuss ways of helping to speed up the development of new nuclear power stations, The Guardian reported.
Rolls-Royce
The Prime Minister invited views on how the UK can accelerate rapid progress on securing new nuclear capacity. They discussed the benefits of scaling up investment and removing barriers facing development, agreeing to work together to help projects become operational more quickly and cheaply.
The Prime Minister and attendees also reflected on the need to build strong skills and supply chains to support the UK nuclear industry.
The roundtable comes ahead of the publication of the Government’s energy security strategy this month, with renewable energy, nuclear and domestic gas all a crucial part of achieving its aims.
After the roundtable, the Prime Minister met with apprentices from EDF Energy and saw a model of Rolls Royce’s Small Modular Reactor design.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Helen Whatley also attended the roundtable.
Organisations who attended included: Nuclear Industry Association, Aviva Investors, Balfour Beatty, Bechtel Group Incorporated, EDF Energy, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, L&G, MACE, NAMRC, Nuclear Power Jacobs, NuScale, Rolls Royce, Rothesay Life, Westinghouse Electric Company, Urenco, and USS.
'Nuclear power is incredibly safe.'
'You only have to visit Cornwall and you get more background radiation.'
Simon Evans, Leo Kearse and Diane Spencer react to Boris Johnson announcing aims for 25% of the UK electricity to come from nuclear power. pic.twitter.com/4GUwBbKz7U
The UK generated less than half (43%) of its electricity from renewable sources in 2020, and gas-fired power plants still play a significant role, with Britain reliant on gas for heating as well as electricity. Nuclear power plants currently provide about a sixth of the UK’s electricity.
Johnson has previously announced that he intends to remove fossil fuels from UK electricity generation by 2035, and has also argued that the country should invest in more domestic nuclear and renewable energy in order to become more self-sufficient.
Starmer told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme he did not need to wait for the report to conclude that Johnson broke the rules…reports Asian Lite News
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of breaking Covid laws with parties held in Downing Street during lockdown, the BBC reported.
The Labour leader said the UK prime minister had “lied” about “industrial scale partying” in No 10.
Six Tory MPs have now called on the Prime Minister to resign over gatherings held during restrictions.
But Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden said the Prime Minister would take action over the “underlying culture” in Downing Street, the report said.
Dowden told the BBC the Prime Minister was “committed” to doing this when he responds to an official inquiry on events in government buildings.
The internal investigation, led by senior civil servant Sue Gray, is expected to be published as soon as next week
However, Starmer told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme he did not need to wait for the report to conclude that Johnson broke the rules.
“The facts speak for themselves, and the country has made up its mind,” he said, adding it was “blindingly obvious what’s happened”.
“I think he broke the law, I think he’s as good as admitted that he broke the law,” he added, the report said.
Pressure on Johnson has been growing since he admitted he attended a gathering in the Downing Street garden on 20 May 2020, during the first Covid lockdown.
As many as 100 people were invited to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” in an email on behalf of the prime minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, the report said.
On Wednesday, Johnson told MPs he had “believed implicitly” it was a work event, but admitted: “With hindsight, I should have sent everyone back inside”.
Hewill meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the United Arab Emirates before travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reports Asian Lite News
The Prime Minister will meet leaders in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh today for talks on energy, regional security and humanitarian relief, as he galvanises global action on the crisis in Ukraine.
He will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the United Arab Emirates before travelling to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Prime Minister will discuss the importance of allies working together to increase the diplomatic and economic pressure on President Putin’s regime and minimise the global fallout from the conflict.
The leaders are expected to discuss efforts to improve energy security and reduce volatility in energy and food prices, which is affecting businesses and consumers in the UK as well as regional stability in the Middle East. In addition to potential further measures to increase oil production, the Prime Minister is focused on diversifying the UK’s energy supply and working with international partners to ramp up renewables.
Saudi Arabia, for example, is the third-largest supplier of diesel to the UK, but the Kingdom also committed to net-zero by 2060 ahead of COP26 and is investing heavily in green technology at home and in the UK.
As part of today’s visit, Saudi Arabia’s Alfanar group will confirm a new £1 billion investment in the Lighthouse Green Fuels Project in Teesside, aiming to be the first company to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste at scale in the UK. The project is expected to create more than 700 jobs during construction starting next year and around 240 full-time jobs once it is fully operational. Aviation fuel generated by the plant has the potential to produce 80 percent less greenhouse gas than its fossil fuel equivalent.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “The brutal and unprovoked assault President Putin has unleashed on Ukraine will have far-reaching consequences for the world, well beyond Europe’s borders. The UK is building an international coalition to deal with the new reality we face. The world must wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons and starve Putin’s addiction to oil and gas.”
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are key international partners in that effort. We will work with them to ensure regional security, support the humanitarian relief effort and stabilise global energy markets for the longer term.
Today’s funding announcement follows a commitment last year by Saudi firm SABIC to invest up to an additional £850 million to reopen their hydrocarbons ‘cracker’ at Wilton and decarbonise their operations in the north-east of England. The Prime Minister is expected to visit SABIC’s innovation centre in Riyadh and meet representatives from the alfanar group. Through our Sovereign Investment Partnership, since 2021 the UAE has already invested in excess of £3bn across life sciences, technology, infrastructure in the UK – as well as a multi-billion-pound investment from BP and ADNOC in clean hydrogen hubs.
The Prime Minister will also discuss shared strategic priorities with the leaders of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the situation in Iran and Yemen, increased security cooperation, trade and investment and supporting human rights and civil society.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the UK’s two largest economic partners in the Middle East, with bilateral trade worth £12.2bn and £10.4bn in 2020 respectively. The UK is preparing for negotiations on a trade deal with the wider Gulf Cooperation Council, which will boost our trade and investment with the whole region.
PM’s spokesperson at 10 Downing Street said that a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be expected in the coming days, reports Asian Lite News
Britain on Wednesday called for the “broadest possible coalition” against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, which includes India.
Boris Johnson’s spokesperson at 10 Downing Street told that a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be expected in the coming days, as the British Prime Minister reaches out to world leaders to seek universal condemnation of Putin’s attacks on Ukrainian cities.
“We want to secure the broadest possible coalition against the actions that Putin is taking,” the spokesperson said, in response to a question about the UK’s message for India over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
“The Prime Minister has been speaking to a lot of world leaders to that end We expect him to be doing a lot of leaders calls in the coming days. We haven’t locked down timings for each of those,” the spokesperson said.
Referring to a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s actions to be voted upon by all member countries later on Wednesday, the PM’s spokesperson said Britain’s aim was that all countries unite in sending the clearest possible message to the Russian President.
We would hope and expect that all countries could agree that invading a democratically elected country, with no provocation, bombing innocent men, women and children is something to be abhorred and condemned. We will continue to petition everyone to that end, the spokesperson said.
The draft of the UN General Assembly resolution demands that the Russian Federation immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
While such resolutions are non-binding, they are used to mount political pressure on countries.
At a similar UN Security Council resolution vote vetoed by Russia last week, India had abstained and called for a return to the path of diplomacy and cessation of violence.
Downing Street confirmed that the timetable for the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) talks scheduled for the second round of negotiations between officials from both sides next week remains on track.
Meanwhile, India on Wednesday abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution that strongly deplored Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the third abstention in less than a week by the country in the world body on resolutions on the escalating crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.
The 193-member General Assembly Wednesday voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and “deplores in the strongest terms” Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, five Member States voting against and 35 abstentions. The General Assembly broke into an applause as the resolution was adopted.
The resolution required a 2/3 majority to be adopted in the General Assembly.
The resolution also condemned Russia’s decision to increase the readiness of its nuclear forces and deplores the involvement of Belarus in this “unlawful use” of force against Ukraine, and calls upon it to abide by its international obligations.
The resolution urges the immediate peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through political dialogue, negotiations, mediation and other peaceful means.
Nearly 100 UN Member States co-sponsored the resolution titled ‘Aggression Against Ukraine’, including Afghanistan, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The UNGA resolution was similar to the one circulated in the 15-nation Security Council last Friday, on which also India had abstained. The UNSC resolution, which received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, was blocked after permanent member Russia exercised its veto.
Following the failure of the Council to adopt the resolution, the Security Council voted on Sunday again to convene a rare “emergency special session” of the 193-member General Assembly on the crisis. India again abstained on this resolution, reiterating that “there is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue.”
The procedural resolution Sunday was adopted even though Moscow voted against it and the General Assembly then held a rare emergency special session on the Ukraine crisis Monday.
President of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid presided over the unprecedented session, only the 11th such emergency session of the General Assembly since 1950. With the adoption of the UNSC resolution Sunday, it was for the first time in 40 years that the Council decided to call for an emergency special session in the General Assembly.
The resolution demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and refrain from any further unlawful threat or use of force against any UN member state.
The resolution, condemning the February 24 declaration by Russia of a “special military operation” in Ukraine, demanded that Moscow “immediately, completely, and unconditionally” withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
The resolution also deplores the February 21 decision by Russia related to the status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter and demands that Russia immediately and unconditionally reverse the decision related to the status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
