NAIROBI (Reuters), February 25, 2015 – Ukraine asked the United Nations to stop talks on a Russian proposal at a high level environmental summit in Kenya. The request was made citing Russia’s invasion. Reuters received a letter.
Reuters was told by some delegates about the threat to the talks in Nairobi. Nations are currently discussing issues such a treaty on plastic waste. This treaty is being billed the most important environmental pact ever since the Paris Agreement. Continue reading
Russia’s proposal, which included the regional make-up for UNEP’s environmental body, was one of many resolutions that were due to be submitted next week to the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA).
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In a letter to UNEP, the Ukrainian Embassy in Kenya stated that the Russian proposal was not possible to be discussed due to the “full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation of Ukraine” as well as “blatant violations of norms of international and Charter of the United Nations”.
Ukraine said it was not in the position to support Russia’s proposal. The U.N. body has a history of working on a consensus basis, so the resolution could be rejected.
UNEP, Ukraine’s Embassy in Kenya and Russia’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond when we asked for comment.
Russia’s invasion in Ukraine earlier this week drew widespread condemnation from the United States, Britain, and the European Union.
Russia has sent representatives to Nairobi for preparatory talks ahead of the UNEA summit on environmental issues, which is scheduled to begin Monday.
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Reporting by John Geddie, Nairobi; Editing and Managing by Richard Chang
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