Belarusian envoy upbeat about UN despite recent flop

July 25, BPN. Belarus has “many allies” in the United Nations, Russia’s TASS reported citing Minsk’s UN ambassador Valancin Rybakoŭ.

Belarusian voice is heard at the United Nations and authorities will continue promoting national interests and priorities there, he assured diplomats at a recent meeting at the foreign ministry.

“High-ranking representatives of the Belarusian leadership” will attend several UN events in September, the official added but did not elaborate.

He praised the UN as “the only universal platform” for global cooperation despite the difficulties that Belarus faces there.

In June, Belarus suffered a major setback in its bid for a non-permanent member’s seat on the UN Security Council, losing to Slovenia. Rybakoŭ claimed that certain countries coerced others to vote for Slovenia by threatening to cut off funding if they voted otherwise.

On September 18, the UN convenes a Sustainable Development Goals summit in New York. It remains unclear who will head the Belarusian delegation.