UN General Assembly in New York
UN meeting: US is dragging out visas for Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov speaks via video message at the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Diplomats left the room. photo
© Salvatore Di Nolfi/KEYSTONE/dpa
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also wants to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. But the US has not yet issued a visa. A delaying tactic not used for the first time.
Before the upcoming general debate at the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States is apparently delaying the issuance of visas for a Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“We are proactively working with the US Mission on visas for delegations to upcoming UN headquarters meetings and are liaising with the Mission on specific cases that are brought to our attention. That is what we are doing in this case,” a UN official said. speaker on request. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is in close contact with the host country, the USA, and with the relevant agencies, including Russia.
An agreement between the USA as the host country and the United Nations regulates the legal framework for, among other things, issuing visas. Accordingly, the United States is obliged to allow diplomats and members of government delegations to enter the United States if they want to go to the UN headquarters on the East River in Manhattan. There, however, their freedom of movement can be limited to just a few blocks around the UN building.
In the past, there have always been temporary delays in the US issuing visas, most recently in Iran, for example. A number of heads of government from rival states, such as Cuban ruler Fidel Castro, spoke at the United Nations. This year’s general debate at the UN General Assembly will start on September 20 and last for a week. More than 150 heads of state and government have announced their attendance.