Status: 11/04/2022 01:43 a.m
The head of the Munich Security Conference, Heusgen, is currently at his old place of work in New York to promote a “turn of the era”. The chancellor’s trip to China doesn’t fit into the concept at all.
The head of the Munich Security Conference is standing in front of his old place of work in New York. As a former German ambassador to the United Nations, Christoph Heusgen has often denounced China’s human rights violations here in the UN Security Council.
Beijing remains one of Moscow’s strongest allies, standing by its side despite the war of aggression in Ukraine. Yes, says Heusgen, talks with China are important. However, the question is whether Chancellor Scholz’s trip there makes sense right now.
When we talk to many colleagues here in New York, we are asked why at this point in time, why at a point in time when it is very clear in China: There is a totalitarian regime, we are back to the days of Mao Tsetung . Why are you going there now? Why do you do that with a business delegation – when we are trying to reduce economic dependencies?
Talks with China make sense – with a view to the fight against climate change, for example, and also with a view to economic relations. But at this point, the chancellor would be better off taking the business delegation to Africa or Latin America, rather than going it alone to Beijing.
Heusgen: Scholz should better travel to Africa
Heusgen hears many such remarks behind the UN scenes in New York, where his security conference team is currently touring with one catchphrase: “A turning point” is the motto that Heusgen is promoting among high-ranking UN diplomats and security experts. And the chancellor’s trip doesn’t fit well into that concept.
We have to care much more about the countries of the Global South. Not only when it is important to us from time to time, but we have to take care of the countries of the Global South continuously and very intensively. What we have done so far is not enough.
Especially since Russia, with its constant provocations, is working to inflict cracks on the anti-war alliance of Western, African, Asian and Latin American countries. The grain agreement has been saved for the time being – but there is still no reason to breathe a sigh of relief, says Heusgen.
Russia is toying with this world supply and will see when it can use that as a tool again.
Russia’s attempts at division
With such actions, Russia is trying to spread insecurities. Also with false accusations – for example, that Ukraine is building biological weapons or “dirty bombs” with nuclear elements with Western help. All of these are attempts at division against the countries that are united against the war of aggression.
We must counteract this by exposing one untruth after another, by repeatedly making it clear with the countries that may be insecure: Who is the aggressor? Who broke international law? Who Commits War Crimes? And who is trying to resist? Who is trying to restore peace?
The worst thing is that the world community was distracted from another main task at the start of the important climate conference COP 27 in Sharm el Sheikh: the climate crisis, which is also closely linked to the topic of conflicts.
Not only is Russia to blame for the deaths of thousands of people, millions of refugees, but Russia is also to blame for the fact that we are currently not able to attend to the main task as we should. The number one priority is that we do everything we can to slow down climate change.
Heusgen: Keep promises to the Global South
Germany must do its homework. But in Egypt it will primarily be about keeping the promises made to the countries of the Global South.
That we raise the funds for the various funds, the Green Climate Fund, and that we actually get the countries to dissuade them from CO2 with the appropriate financial means. And they won’t do it if we don’t raise the appropriate funds. We must also work with the instrument of debt relief.
However, one point is also important here: China must participate.