Poland ends UN Security Council presidency

Thursday marked the final day of Poland’s rotating presidency of the 15-member Council, the PAP news agency reported.

According to the foreign ministry in Warsaw, the high point of the Polish presidency, which began on May 1, was a high-level debate on the role of the UN Security Council in upholding international law.

The May 17 debate in New York was chaired by Polish President Andrzej Duda, who said that international law was fundamental to world order.

The Polish head of state also said there can be no peace without law and that “international law remains the strongest tool for civilised nations to ensure long-term peace.”

On May 22, Poland organised another high-level UN Security Council debate on protecting civilians in armed conflicts. During the debate, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said that Ukraine was still a target of military aggression and that its territory continued to be illegally occupied.

Czaputowicz on May 29 presided over a UN Security Council briefing on developments in Ukraine. The top Polish diplomat delivered a speech during the meeting in New York in which he called for international peacekeeping forces to be sent to Ukraine, according to public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.

Poland on January 1 became a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term that ends on December 31, 2019.

(gs/pk)

Source: PAP