Mr. Chair,
I deliver this statement on behalf of the eight Nordic and Baltic States.
We are all unequivocal in our condemnation of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all forms of racial intolerance, including Nazism and neo-Nazism.
We are deeply concerned with the increase in antisemitism as well as the rise in anti-Muslim hatred worldwide.
We agree that preventing radicalization and extremism and combating intolerance is a shared responsibility for all.
We are fully committed to the global fight against all forms of these abhorrent ideologies and their manifestations.
We also want our societies to be open, democratic and diverse. We celebrate our diversity, and we defend it. These are core values to our countries.
It is precisely due to the above reasons that we react so strongly against the resolution in front of us today. Because even though there is some important and valid language on the fight against racism in the text, this is a document that, at its core, has a more sinister context. Shamefully, it is part of building a false narrative that is used to justify the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine with the aim of destroying its democratic and peaceful neighbor, under the cynical slogan of “de-Nazification”. By pursuing this, the history of the Holocaust is being grossly distorted and misused.
We categorically reject this instrumentalization of history and false narrative, and the way in which eliminating neo-Nazism is being used as pretext and justification for a full-scale invasion and attempted annexation of a sovereign neighboring country.
We strongly believe that this misuse undermines the genuine fight against these heinous ideologies.
This is why all Nordic and Baltic States voted in favor of the amendment today. We did it to redress the utter lack of this context in the draft as it was presented.
Mr. Chair,
Even with the amendment passed, our fundamental problems with the resolution still stand.
Mr. Chair,
I want to end with a plea to colleagues to not misunderstand our vote today. The Nordic-Baltic States stand ready to work side-by-side with all serious partners in the critical fight against racist and xenophobic ideologies.
Let us do so in partnership.
Let us do so in an open, transparent manner. And in good faith.
I thank you.