Remarks by Ambassador Tigran Balayan at the International Conference on "UN reforms for the Changing World Order" organized by the FCCI

03 May, 2023

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Excelencies, Dear collegues, Dear organizers,

It is indeed a great honor to be part of this distinguished panel, discussing this important and urgent topic for International Affairs.

Of course, as a career diplomat I have requested talking points to prepare for this meeting, however I will put them aside and try to divert from them as much as possible to bring my own input into the discussion.

First of all, I would like to mention that we need to acknowledge that the post-World War II international legal order system has reached its end. It has collapsed and is no longer effective, which is the core issue being discussed here. It is of utmost importance to face this reality.

Of course strengthening the capacities of the UN and the Security Council to prevent and respond to challenges is crucial for delivering on the objectives, purposes, and goals of the UN charter. We have to identify and to elaborate new approaches. Today, we were discussing technological progress, how India, for instance, is not less developed than its former metropoly, and how China has become the second largest economy while India ranks fifth.

Considering my country's unique position at the crossroads, coupled with its small territory, we have firsthand witnessed the worst consequences of the collapsing world order, including the security architecture within our small region known as the South Caucasus.

The decline of multilateralism and the legal world order, as well as the failure of countries to honor their commitment to solve the disputes only via peaceful means, have brought disastrous consequences for us. Since 2020, my country has been continuously attacked and its territorial integrity violated. Unfortunately, the Security Council has failed to respond adequately, as even a single country can veto a document like a press statement, and I am not even talking about Security Council resolutions. This is not what the international legal order (I am emphasizing the word 'legal') is based on, and this contradicts the purposes of the UN charter.

His Honor Judge Brant of the ICJ has left the conference, but we have, for example, now an unequivocal Order of the International Court of Justice which is just being ignored and the Security Council doesn't take any measure to implement it.

Consequently, the country that applied to the court, believing in the international legal order, the same country has to apply to the Security Council itself, to negotiate with each single member a solution that can address the situation. This is neither logical, nor fair or legal.

Therefore, Armenia supports the efforts to reform the institutions of multilateralism and to make the Security Council more inclusive and effective in responding to current and emerging challenges and threats to international peace and security.

What I saw in the presentation and in the discussions here, the paper and analysis you have prepared can serve as a blueprint.

In diplomacy it is very important when you come up with a problem, with a claim, with any kind of a question, but you also propose a solution today. I think my colleagues in the UN and our multilateral working groups can regard this as a blueprint for how we should think. There are several options. Nothing is ideal from the viewpoint of other countries, but this is a basis to work on it.

Within this context I would like to underline that India's recent steps in our region, in the South Caucasus, notably those aimed at restoring the regional balance are manifesting the deep sense of responsibility for international peace and the world order. This is a key point in New Delhi's foreign policy concept, and I find it very important to underscore this.

Finally, getting back to the talking points, we believe in the value and role of a strong and responsible multilateralism with the United Nations at its core,for the security and well-being of small nations. We are confident that the integrity and independence of the UN bodies and entities will prevail and their ability to deliver for the benefit of peace, security, justice, rule of law and human rights must be strengthened.

Thank you.
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MFA RA
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