UNOG ambassador to focus on disarmament human rights

The new Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), Alexei Borodavkin, will focus on disarmament issues and on remedying “accusatory” approach to human rights in Russia. “The work in the Disarmament Conference will traditionally occupy an important place and remain a priority as the talk is about international security and arms control. The issue of taking the negotiating process at the Conference out of stagnation is vital and I will intensively work on that,” he told Tass on Friday. He explained the negotiating deadlock by the “position of several countries which do not show sufficient flexibility in agreeing the work program of the Conference.” “I hope we shall find a formula that will take into account their concerns and get things moving so that the work program of the Conference is agreed and substantial work on important disarmament tracks begins,” Borodavkin said. He did not welcome the calls to move disarmament negotiations to the UN General Assembly in New York as the venue is not so important. The position of the mentioned countries “will remain unchanged no matter where we move the negotiating process and the countries will continue to advance the same objections.” “It is not that important how we sit at the negotiating table and where we do it, it is much more important to find consensus and a formula that will suit everyone. We are working on that in the framework of bilateral contacts and we hope a solution will be found,” the ambassador said. As for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Borodavkin said it has become “extremely politicized” and he plans to remedy the situation. “Human rights shall be discussed in a benevolent atmosphere rather than in an accusatory tone. It would be more efficient and correct not to accuse, criticize and stigmatize, but to explain, share experience, and show through best international practice how human rights can be efficiently protected,” Borodavkin said adding cooperation with UNHRC and with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will be a priority for him. The ambassador said cooperation with various specialized international institutions in Geneva “will aim at helping Russia create favorable conditions for domestic development also in the context of modernization of the country and its new industrialization.”