Germany, Russia And China Flirt With Each Other At A UN Security Council Meeting

United Nations Office in the United States (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council this time was marked by exchanges between delegates. Germany's representative to the United Nations, Christoph Heusgen, during the last meeting of the UN Security Council, appealed to China to release the two detained Canadians. This then made the Chinese representatives uncomfortable.

Germany will complete a two-year term at the 15-member United Nations Security Council by the end of December, quoting Reuters. In addition, Christoph Heusgen also plans to retire after more than 40 years of working as a diplomat.

“Let me end my term on the Security Council by pleading with my Chinese colleagues to ask Beijing to release Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Christmas is the perfect moment for such action, "Heusgen said at a session of the council, whose official agenda topic is Iran.

Kovrig and Spavor were detained by China in 2018 not long after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou with a warrant from the United States (US). Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat who worked as an advisor to the think tank International Crisis Group, while Spavor is a businessman.

The Chinese deputy ambassador, Geng Shuang, said that Heusgen was abusing the Security Council to launch malicious attacks against other members. He also accused Heusgen of "attempts to poison the working atmosphere."

"I want to say something from the bottom of my heart: good release, Ambassador Heusgen," said Shuang. "I hope the council without you in 2021 will be in a better position to fulfill its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security."

Hot debate

In addition to "attacking" China, Heusgen used the Security Council meeting to advise Russia's deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy. He asked Dmitry Polyaskiy to read an article about Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who said he had tricked a Russian secret agent into revealing the details of a failed plot to kill him.

"It looks like he's developed a certain dependence on the council, never having a meeting without criticism of Russia even if it doesn't fit the subject. I hope after January 1 Christoph's symptoms will improve," said Polyanskiy.

Since the previous meeting, Germany, Russia and China have been involved in heated debates. During a heated meeting on Wednesday December 18, Russian and Chinese representatives questioned Germany's suitability for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Germany's path to permanent membership "will be difficult," said China's representative Yao Shaojun.

The German government also accuses Russia and China of responsibility for blocking UN aid supplies to Syria. Christoph Heusgen said it was "very cynical" when Russia and China complained that aid supplies could not reach a war-torn war-torn country.