Qatar has expressed concern at the current trends and policies of the world, which ignore the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and international law and act against international efforts, while reaffirming its commitment to the policy of strengthening international co-operation and its international partnership to enhance the work of the United Nations.
This came in a statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Ambassador, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, at the meeting of the "Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and the Strengthening of the Role of the Organisation".
HE Sheikha Alya said that the special committee has worked for decades to promote respect for the UN Charter and international law, expressing regret and concern at the current trends and policies of the world that ignore the provisions of the Charter and international law and counter international efforts.
In this context, she referred to blatant cases which have harmed international co-operation through the spread of tensions in international relations, the attempt to impose dictatorial policies, interference in internal affairs and the undermining of the sovereignty of states under false pretenses and allegations, without regard for the serious consequences. "This is what the State of Qatar has been facing since June 2017. It faces illegal unilateral measures that violate the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and human rights," she added.
HE Sheikha Alya reiterated Qatar's position, which rejects any illegal policies, stressing the continuation of Qatar's policy of supporting collective action, enhancing the work of the United Nations and achieving its goals in the areas of security, peace, development and human rights and to settle disputes by peaceful means based on the UN Charter.
Qatar appreciated the committee's valuable contributions to clarifying and interpreting the provisions of the Charter, and its role in the maintenance of international peace and security, the development of international cooperation and the promotion of respect for international law, she said.
Qatar also appreciates the valuable contributions of the committee to clarifying and interpreting the provisions of the Charter and its important role in revitalising, strengthening and reforming the organisation.
She noted the committee's central role in the adoption of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, which emphasised the importance of the committee and the need to continue its work.
She added that the commitment of member-states to support the UN, as a multilateral system, was the cornerstone of achieving the goals and objectives of the international organisation and enabling it to address threats to international peace and security, development and human rights.
"While Qatar reiterates its rejection of any illegal policies, it reaffirms its policy of supporting collective action, strengthening the work of the United Nations and achieving its objectives in the areas of security, peace, development and human rights, and working to settle disputes by peaceful means based on the Charter of the United Nations," HE Sheikha Alya noted.
She said that Qatar had continued to consolidate its international partnerships to strengthen the work of the United Nations and to continue to support the United Nations machinery to enable it to carry out its mandates, including the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly, as the principal deliberative, representative and policy-making body of the United Nations.
She also stressed the importance of balancing the functions and powers of the principal organs of the United Nations, explaining that the Special Committee was the appropriate forum to examine the legal aspects of those issues.
She commended the Committee's tendency to reject any policies that were contrary to the principles and purposes of the United Nations and constituted a violation of the Charter.
HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani stated that the General Assembly and the Special Committee have consistently affirmed the authority of the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and the role it plays in adjudicating disputes between States.
She reiterated Qatar's support for the Court's mandate and its adherence to the role played by the Court in the peaceful settlement of disputes.
In this context, she referred to the decision issued in July by the International Court of Justice to approve the application of the State of Qatar to take measures against the UAE to take discriminatory measures against Qatari citizens in violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
She stressed that States' respect for the decisions of the International Court of Justice is a test of compliance with international law and the basis of friendly relations and cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations", adding that non-compliance with the decisions of the Court is an internationally wrongful act, a violation of the obligations imposed by international law, and an undermining of international efforts in maintaining international peace and security.
She also called for addressing the attempts not to implement the decisions of the Court and finding ways to implement them, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter and the Statute of the Court.
Concluding the State of Qatar's statement, HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia said: "The State of Qatar will continue to participate and support the work of the Special Committee and to support all efforts that contribute to enhancing the role of the United Nations to enable it to achieve the objectives for which it was established.
The State of Qatar intends to use its capabilities to work with the partners of the International Group for the Maintenance of International Peace and Security.