New Delhi abstains on Myanmar resolution at UN General Assembly

NEW DELHI: India has abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution on Myanmar, saying its views have not been reflected in the draft and New Delhi does not believe the resolution, tabled hastily, is conducive to “aiding our joint efforts towards strengthening democratic process” in the country.

The UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution ‘The situation in Myanmar’ on Friday with 119 Member States voting in favour, including Myanmar while 36 nations abstained, including Myanmar’s neighbours - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Laos, Nepal and Thailand. Russia also abstained.

Belarus was the sole country voting against it. “This resolution was tabled in the UN General Assembly in a hasty manner without adequate consultations with neighbours and regional countries. This is not only unhelpful but may also prove counter-productive to the efforts of the ASEAN to find a solution to the current situation in Myanmar,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said.

In the explanation of the vote in the General Assembly hall, Tirumurti said as Myanmar’s immediate neighbour and close friend of its people, India is cognizant of the “serious impact of political instability” and the potential of its spillover beyond Myanmar’s borders. India has been calling for greater engagement with the objective of peacefully resolving all issues.

The resolution expressed “grave concern” at the February 1 coup and called upon Myanmar’s military junta to immediately and unconditionally release President Win Myint, state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other government officials, politicians and those arbitrarily detained or arrested.

It also called “upon all Member States to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar”.