The main debates of the UN General Assembly, starting on September 24, may bring “surprises” on topics such as the Ukrainian and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, possibly including initiatives for their resolution, according to Andrey Kortunov, scientific director of the Russian Council for International Affairs.
“If we talk about specific crises, the Security Council should play the main role in their resolution, not the General Assembly, since only Security Council decisions are binding,” the expert said in a comment to Media.
According to Kortunov, General Assembly decisions are more indicative of the international community’s opinion on various issues. He noted that in recent years, the UN Secretariat and Secretary-General António Guterres have been inclined to focus on development issues rather than security.
- Advertisement -
Kortunov believes that in the current geopolitical situation, it is difficult to achieve unity in the UN Security Council on major conflicts. This is why Guterres has emphasized sustainable development goals, energy transition, and poverty alleviation—topics that were already discussed in New York at the “Summit of the Future,” where the “Pact for the Future” on reforming the Security Council was adopted on September 22.
“If we talk about the General Assembly, it seems that we should expect some surprises, some new ideas related perhaps to resolving the Ukrainian and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts. But as practice shows, without appropriate Security Council decisions, it will be very difficult to take actual measures,” the expert believes.
According to Kortunov, the General Assembly should be viewed as a platform where members of the international community can promote their opinions and defend their positions.
- Advertisement -
“There will probably be resolutions adopted on a variety of issues, but we have seen over many years that these resolutions are not always implemented,” he added.
“I think the tone of the event has already been set by the ‘Summit of the Future.’ It will be maintained throughout the entire session of the General Assembly: there are serious concerns regarding the disintegration of global and regional governance systems, the multiplication of crisis situations, and escalation in many regions of the world. The emphasis will likely be on restoring governance. Everyone will have their own views on how this can be achieved,” Kortunov said.
On September 10, the 79th session of the UN General Assembly began in New York. A key event of the Assembly sessions is traditionally the high-level week—an event where heads of state and ministers gather annually to discuss pressing issues.
- Advertisement -
The annual debates will take place from September 24 to 28, as well as on September 30. The Russian delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with his speech expected on September 28.
The press secretary for the Russian leader, Dmitry Peskov, previously reported that President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov are in daily contact in light of upcoming events at the UN.
