Return of imperialism, potential "nuclear accident", "mock referendums" ... For the first UN General Assembly meeting in person since the Covid-19, Emmanuel Macron wanted to discuss the war in Ukraine at length.
In front of more than 150 heads of state, gathered for the 77th general assembly of the United Nations which is due to last until Saturday, the French president spoke of many burning subjects such as global warming, food security, divisions between the countries of the North and South, the Iranian nuclear deal and especially the conflict in Ukraine.
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Emmanuel Macron denounces the return to imperialism and the age of the colonies
“I am thinking of those who wrote our charter and built the walls of this organization to ward off the worst,
began Emmanuel Macron.
Let us never forget this debt.
It reminds us that there is no other center of legitimate and lasting power than that which nations decide sovereignly by uniting, it tells us that the universality of our organization is not at the service of any hegemony, of any political oligarchy.
“For the French president, the international community has a choice:
“War or peace.
On February 24, Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, broke our collective security.
It deliberately violated the United Nations Charter and the principle of state sovereignty
”.
“Russia has decided to pave the way for other wars of annexation, perhaps in Europe but also perhaps tomorrow in Africa, Asia, Latin America. As I speak to you, there are Russian troops in Ukraine and to my knowledge there are no Ukrainian troops in Russia. The longer this war lasts, the more it becomes a threat to peace in Europe but also to that of the world”
, warned Emmanuel Macron before denouncing the
“return to imperialism and the age of the colonies”.
“France refuses it.
Our position is clear and that is how I assume the dialogue with Russia,”
he added.
Read alsoSix months of conflict in Ukraine: and the fantasy of New Russia woke up Russian imperialism
Concerns around “a nuclear accident”
“It is up to us to support the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency to prevent the consequences of war as we will do tomorrow alongside the Ukrainians. Let's work together to prevent a nuclear accident whose consequences would be devastating
,” warned Emmanuel Macron, who is due to meet the director of the IAEA on Wednesday morning.
Read alsoNuclear risks in Ukraine: what are the dreaded accidents?
Macron once again evokes
"
simulacra of referendums
"
in Ukraine
At the podium of the United Nations, Emmanuel Macron affirmed that the
"negotiation"
between the two Eastern countries
"will only be possible if Ukraine sovereignly wants it and that Russia accepts it in good faith"
.
"Russia must now understand that it cannot impose any will by military means, even by cynically adding mock referendums in bombed and now occupied territories,"
he added.
The President of the Republic finally called
on “the members of the United Nations to unite so that Russia renounces the choice of war and puts an end to its aggression”.
Read alsoPutin is betting on escalation by precipitating the annexation of Donbass by referendum
"We need a real solidarity pact with the countries of the South"
Referring to the crisis in Ukraine, the President of the Republic also scolded those who have not chosen a side in this war which is raging between Russia and Ukraine.
"Who would like to mimic the fight of the non-aligned is mistaken and takes a historic responsibility
", launched Emmanuel Macron in particular to his counterparts.
"It is not a question of choosing a side: it is the responsibility of all those who are attached to the respect of the charter and to our most precious good, peace",
he hammered in a tone vivid.
Read alsoThierry Wolton: "In Ukraine, Stalin's Red Army and its methods are back"
"The risk that is ours today is that of a new partition of the world"
, considers Emmanuel Macron who appeals to the countries of the South:
"Some people want us to believe that there would be on one side the West and on the other hand the rest of the world.
I reject this division”.
“Our organization carries universal values, let's not allow a deaf idea to settle, that there would be in the values of the charter of regional ideas, something adaptable.
Are you for or against the strongest, sovereignty and national integrity, are you for or against impunity?
I cannot conceive of any international order that is not based on respect for peoples and the principles of responsibility
.
of Russia.
The French president called for being
“more united”: “The pandemic has further increased inequalities, the war is increasing inequalities for these countries.
The G20 must mobilize $100 billion in special draws, but we must go further.
We need to go to 30% on special drawing rights.
The rules we apply today are the rules of the 1980s. We need a real pact of solidarity with the countries of the South”.
Emmanuel Macron called on
“those who want to build this contract with us”
to come
“on November 11 to the Peace Forum to prepare for the G20”.
Emmanuel Macron also quickly mentioned other threats such as terrorism or nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.
"which we have not succeeded in stemming".
“Half of humanity lives in the climate danger zone”
Emmanuel Macron spoke about global warming.
“Look at Pakistan: a third of the country under water, the Horn of Africa the worst drought in 40 years... Half of humanity lives in the climate danger zone, half of our ecosystem is reaching crisis points of no return.
The food crisis is hitting the most vulnerable everywhere and the hardest.
345 million people are in a situation of acute famine, including 153 million children.
The most vulnerable are always the most affected.”
Macron announces that
“
France will finance the evacuation of Ukrainian wheat
”
The President of the Republic did not forget to mention the current food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
"
France will finance the evacuation of Ukrainian wheat to Somalia in connection with the global food partnership
,
"
he said.
A decision taken in “
solidarity, efficiency and the requirement of full transparency
” with the major international organizations to help Africa get through this period.