State Secretary for Foreign Affairs takes part in Security Council open debate

2016.2.15

  • x: opens new window
  • Whatsapp: opens new window
  • Linkedin: opens new window
  • Send: opens new window

The State secretary underlined that the prevailing validity of the preamble, the aims and the principles of the San Francisco Charter and Spain's firm commitment to them led, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the UN back in October 2105, to it promoting the adoption of a resolution of the General Assembly whereby all the Member States renewed their membership to this essential core element of the charter.

Ignacio Ybáñez highlighted the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of States as essential safeguards for international stability and security. He underlined the importance of respect for human rights as an inseparable element for maintaining international peace and security as well as the need to foster the development of international law based on these principles and values.

The State secretary recalled that nowadays the majority of threats to the sovereignty of States are internal and have their origin, to a great extent, in ethnic and identity principles that put supposed collective rights ahead of democratic legality and individual rights and liberties. Threats also come from terrorism, from the violent actions of non-State parties and from transnational organised crime.

Finally, Ignacio Ybáñez referred to the responsibility that falls on States and on the international community to ensure compliance with these aims and principles, and warned of the consequences of inaction by the Security Council when faced with actions that endanger these aims and principles. He reiterated Spain's encouragement to all permanent members of the Security Council to voluntarily and collectively undertake not to use their right to veto if evidence exists that atrocious crimes are being committed on a massive scale. For its part, Spain signed up to the Code of Conduct that seeks to commit all the members of the Security Council, whether permanent or not, to not vote against a credible draft resolution that proposes a firm action by the Security Council to prevent or bring to an end acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.