MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Russia needs to withdraw from Ukraine, Uruguay's Bustillo tells UN

“For Uruguay, the democratic system is part of its history and its best traditions,” Bustillo stressed.

Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo Monday told the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York that Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine was essential.

The South American country's top diplomat underlined that ”Russia's military invasion of Ukraine is unjustified (...) It is imperative that Russia cease hostilities and withdraw as soon as possible from Ukrainian territory.“

”The impact on international trade fuels recessionary trends in many countries, the deficit of agricultural products seriously affects less developed countries and the lack of access to world markets generates food insecurity in several regions,“ Bustillo added.

”Other states experience energy shortages. This affects the living conditions of millions of people but also creates new threats to the environment,“ he went on.

Bustillo also called for the limiting of global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels ”be respected“ as well as the fulfillment of ”the promise to mobilize financial resources to support adaptation and mitigation measures against climate change.“

Uruguay's Foreign Minister said peace and security, environment and health were global challenges for which ”the multilateral system“ was essential. Bustillo also underscored the responsibility of states to safeguard human rights. ”This reality is harder and more disturbing for us when it is in our own region of Latin America and the Caribbean,“ he stressed. Bustillo also singled out Venezuela, Libya, and Burma as nations that have provoked migratory waves of people and families ”seeking safety and relief.“

Bustillo also reaffirmed Uruguay's commitment to environmental issues and to fighting drug trafficking, in addition to strengthening mechanisms to protect the rights of women, children, adolescents, the elderly, migrants, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTI community.

The Foreign Minister also considered democracy was the system of government that best safeguards the greatest desire of human beings, which is their freedom. ”For Uruguay, the democratic system is part of its history and its best traditions,” he stressed.