Joint Nordic Statement at the UNSC Open Debate on the Rule of Law
Mr.
President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Finland, Iceland,
Norway, Sweden - and my own country - Denmark.
Mr.
President,
Rule of law is a vital prerequisite for justice, peace and prosperity, and
adherence to it has significant and positive impact on the global community. It
is a powerful safeguard against the primitive doctrine that might is right. But
the rule of law is under pressure. In the Secretary-General’s latest yearly
report on “Strengthening and coordinating United Nations rule of law
activities” it is clear that the rule of law must be protected on every front.
Mr.
President,
International law, including the UN Charter, and its prohibition on the
acquisition of territory by the use of force, applies to all states, and must
be respected by all states. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion
of Ukraine last year, it constituted a blatant violation of international law.
Whilst horrified by Russia’s actions, we are pleased to see how a majority of
countries, across regions and continents, have stood by the UN Charter and the
rule of law, and rejected this violation in words and deeds. The adoption of
the General Assembly resolutions with an overwhelming majority, including in
October 2022, characterizing Russia’s attempt to annex parts of Ukraine as
illegal and in contravention of the UN Charter, exemplify our strong and
collective response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the international
rules-based order.
Mr.
President,
To safeguard the rule of law it is not enough to condemn the Russian
aggression. Both the Russian Federation, and those individuals responsible for
committing international crimes must be held accountable for their brutal
behavior. The Security Council is entrusted with the primary responsibility to
maintain international peace and security. Russia’s use of the veto and
prevention of the Council in fulfilling its mandate is unacceptable. We fully
support and urge other UN members to join initiatives to limit the use of veto,
including the ACT-code of conduct and the French/Mexican initiative on
suspension of Veto Powers in Cases of Mass Atrocity. We also welcome the
adoption of the UNGA resolution 76/262 on the veto-initiative, which was a step
in the right direction to create more transparency and accountability for the
use of the veto.
We are further encouraged by the multiple accountability
efforts, including the ongoing investigations into the situation in Ukraine by
the International Criminal Court, the Independent International Commission of
Inquiry on Ukraine, and the current case at the International Court of Justice.
Holding Russia accountable is paramount to prevent future breaches of
international law.
Mr. President,
The rule of law and accountability, including access to justice and
accountability for sexual and gender-based violence, as mentioned by the
Secretary General in his latest report on “Strengthening and coordinating
United Nations rule of law activities”, can of course not be achieved without
substantial work on the part of international courts and institutions of the
global community. However, this work relies on our support – both politically
and financially. During the recent UN annual budget negotiations, the Nordic
countries underscored the need to uphold the rule of law and the protection of
human rights through UN institutions. They are without a doubt a prerequisite
for the rules-based international order that we are all committed to.
Thank you.