Đurić: International law and UN Charter still have universal significance

20. Sep 2022.
Ambassador of Serbia to USA Marko Đurić stated that it was very important for Serbia to point out at the UN General Assembly that the principles of international law and the UN Charter still had universal significance, and to try to gain support for Serbia’s positions on the matter of Kosovo and Metohija, as well as show that Serbia was committed to cooperation and future in the region.

“For this reason, I call on our people to listen to the speech of President Vučić, which, I can already say that, will be a unique and historically important speech, due to its open statement of the facts about the role and status of the UN and Serbia in the international community”, said Ambassador Đurić for Television Pink from New York. 

Ambassador Đurić stated that, as a long-time observer of the sessions of the UN General Assembly, he could say with certainty that the Serbian delegation was to have the record number of meetings with the highest international officials, and that President Vučić would have almost 50 meetings, more than he could remember anyone having during a session of the General Assembly. 

He said that there were good reasons to highlight the hypocrisy of the major countries which were looking to satisfy their own selfish interests. 

“We have a good reason to point out that the principles of international law and the UN Charter still had universal significance, and highlight, as appropriate, the hypocrisy of the major countries which are looking to satisfy their own selfish interests, and to try to gain support of as many countries throughout the world as possible for our positions in the matter of Kosovo and Metohija, as well as demonstrate that we are committed to cooperation and future in the region, to give an example by extending a hand to our neighbours and fight to preserve peace and stability, and, in spite of the centrifugal political tendencies, contribute to the preservation of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter”, emphasised Ambassador Đurić. 

According to him, many of speeches heard at the UN General Assembly did not contain any of the encouraging words we might expect to hear at the East River.

Ambassador Đurić said that the debate at the UN General Assembly had never been held in more difficult international circumstances than today, that there had never been this much tension, with the world’s leading powers focused primarily on satisfying their own interests, which one could even call selfish, fully and at any cost. 

In such circumstances, adds Ambassador Đurić, the dialogue is not what it should be, and it is very important for Serbia to properly position itself in the international arena, as this directly affects its survival in such difficult times. 

Ambassador Đurić emphasised that this was very important in a situation where the fate of the generation was being decided on the world stage in key matters, from the way that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of internationally recognised countries was treated, to the way that the energy security and stability would be ensured in the circumstances of a multi-layered crisis, and the way that the food safety would be preserved, which UN General Secretary António Guterres had talked about in his speech.