Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefs journalists on the situation in the Middle East. Middle East: UN Secretary General calls for respect for international law Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday warned of a serious erosion of international law around the world, highlighting the situation in the Middle East.
The danger of “lawlessness”
Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters in New York, he said the rules of war and the use of force were increasingly being ignored and civilians were suffering heavy casualties. According to him, humanitarian obligations are being violated, and in some cases even guarantees for the safety of UN staff are not respected.
“Justice must be blind,” he said. “But today too many choose to turn a blind eye to justice itself.”
Guterres emphasized that “lawlessness creates chaos, increases suffering and leads to destruction,” and called on states not to deviate from international law, but, on the contrary, to reaffirm their commitment to it.
80th anniversary of the International Courts
The Secretary General also said that this week he will travel to The Hague, where he will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice, the main judicial body of the organization. According to him, this visit should send a clear signal about the importance of compliance with international norms by all states without exception.
“This is a signal that the United Nations firmly supports the institutions and principles designed to protect peace, justice, sovereignty and human dignity,” the head added UN.
“There is no military solution”
He paid special attention to the situation in the Middle East, emphasizing that there is no military solution to the conflict. Guterres called for the resumption of negotiations, maintaining the ceasefire and respecting freedom of navigation, including the Strait of Hormuz. “Now is the time for restraint and diplomacy, not escalation,” he said.