Explanation of Vote - Russia Biological Weapons Convention Resolution
Statement
02 November 2022President,
Ireland upholds the right of any State Party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, under Article six, to bring a complaint to the Council where it finds that another State is acting in breach of its obligations under the BWC.
We have duly listened to the complaint brought by the Russian Federation.
We consider that no substantive or credible evidence has been presented by Russia to support its allegations, either through the Article five consultative meeting in Geneva in September, or in material submitted to the Security Council.
As such, the Russian Federation’s complaint has no validity. We do not see the proposed investigation by the Council as either justifiable or useful.
We have, therefore, abstained in the vote on the Resolution that the Russian Federation has brought to Council.
President, Ireland believes that this matter has been comprehensively addressed through the provisions set out in the Convention.
Regrettably, Russia is attempting to misuse the Convention and the Security Council as a platform for its disinformation, in an attempt to justify its unjustifiable and unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
We ask Russia to now finally stop these deeply cynical and harmful actions that risk undermining key multilateral arms control agreements, as well as international cooperation in vital health research.
Thank you.