EXPLANATION OF VOTE ON THE COUNTRY-SPECIFIC RESOLUTION ON CRIMEA, 16 NOVEMBER 2022

Mr Chair,

1 My delegation had earlier explained our principled position of abstaining on country-specific human rights resolutions in the Third Committee as such resolutions have become highly selective and driven by political considerations. This is why we have continued to abstain on this resolution on ‘The Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine’.

2 Singapore’s vote should not be interpreted as reflecting our position on the substance of the issues raised in the resolution. Nor should it be interpreted as in any way derogating from our clear, consistent and principled position against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its violations of the UN Charter and international law.

3 As members of this Committee may know, Singapore supported the UN General Assembly Emergency Special Session resolutions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its decision to annex occupied regions of Ukraine, such as A/RES/ES-11/1 entitled “Aggression against Ukraine”, A/RES/ES-11/2 entitled “Humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine”, A/RES/ES-11/4 entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine: defending the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”, and A/ES-11/L.6 entitled “Furtherance of Remedy and Reparation for Aggression against Ukraine”. We once again reiterate Singapore’s longstanding position that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all countries – big or small – must be respected. 

4 Thank you, Mr Chair.

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