“That invasion violates so many norms of international law. It also threatens the international security, and it creates a precedent that Belize, who is claimed by another country, cannot compromise on,” Minister Courtenay said.
BELIZE CITY, Fri. Sept. 30, 2022
Belize has joined the world in condemning the Russian annexation of four Ukrainian territories following its unilateral, “sham” referendum in those partially occupied provinces. A tweet posted by Foreign Minister Hon. Eamon Courtenay on Friday stated, “Belize absolutely rejects the purported annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia. This illegality will not stand! Belize deplores the most recent attack by Russia on Ukrainian civilians.”
The territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia were declared a part of Russia on Friday during a conference which was followed by a concert organized by the Kremlin in the historic Russian Red Square. This has been considered a major escalation in the war between the two Eastern European countries that began on February 24.
Moscow has claimed that the voters of the region have indicated a desire to join Russia through a 5-day referendum. This vote has been called a sham by Kyiv and its Western allies. The United Nations Secretary-General, before the announcement on Friday, stated, “It is time to step back from the brink,” warning that a formal annexation would put at risk any possibility for peace. The UN pointed out in its comments that the annexation would have “no legal value.”
Ukraine has fast-tracked its application to join NATO, its president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, after signing an application formally. During his remarks on the supposed annexation by Russia, he said, “The entire territory of our country will be liberated from this enemy—the enemy not only of Ukraine but also of life itself, humanity, law, and truth.”
NATO has reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for Ukraine, its secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said recently.
And while Ukraine is not a formal member of NATO as yet, the United States president, Joe Biden, in comments on the Russian annexation has said, “America is fully prepared with our NATO allies to defend every single inch of NATO territory, every single inch, so Mr. Putin, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, every inch.”
In a recent interview, Belize’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Eamon Courtenay said, “We have deplored and we continue to deplore the illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. We have issued a very strong statement on it. We will join when a new resolution comes to the United Nations General Assembly. It failed yesterday in the Security Council because Russia vetoed it, but come to the General Assembly and we will vote strongly in favor of it. That invasion violates so many norms of international law; it also threatens the international security, and it creates a precedent that Belize, who is claimed by another country, cannot compromise on,” Hon. Courtenay said.
“If Russia is allowed to get away with this, believe me, there are other countries that are looking on and are getting ready to do the same thing. If the international community is ineffective in ensuring that the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine are not returned and restored, we have a fundamental problem in the international community,” Hon. Courtenay further pointed out.