OREANDA-NEWS. Moscow reacted negatively to the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) on Belarus, which calls on President Alexander Lukashenko to start a dialogue with the opposition. The document was supported by 23 countries, 2 voted against, 22 abstained. All Russian amendments were rejected.

“We proceed from the fact that the HRC resolution, pushed by the Westerners against the principles and norms of international law, is legally null and void,” the commentary published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry says. Diplomats noted that a group of countries led by the European Union imposed “another one-sided and politicized discussion, the goals of which were very far from real concern for human rights.” “There is gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, incompatible with the principles of international law and the provisions of the UN Charter,” the release reads.

“We proceed from the fact that neither the UN Human Rights Council, nor separate countries or groups have the right or authority to evaluate the electoral processes in the UN member states. We are forced to note that Western states again tried to use the HRC in order to delegitimize power in a particular state,” the Foreign Ministry concluded.