Full Text: Samantha Power Rips Russia at UN Security Council Meeting

“A response to an imaginary threat”
World • Views: 31,550

Via Business Insider, here’s the full text of US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power’s strong statement on Russia and Ukraine, from today’s meeting of the Security Council.

Thank you Madam President. Listening to the representative of Russia, one might think that Moscow had just become the rapid response arm of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. So many of the assertions made this afternoon by the Russian Federation are without basis in reality.

Let’s begin with a clear and candid assessment of the facts.

It is a fact that Russian military forces have taken over Ukrainian border posts. It is a fact that Russia has taken over the ferry terminal in Kerch. It is a fact that Russian ships are moving in and around Sevastapol. It is a fact that Russian forces are blocking mobile telephone services in some areas. It is a fact that Russia has surrounded or taken over practically all Ukrainian military facilities in Crimea. It is a fact that today Russian jets entered Ukrainian airspace. It is also a fact that independent journalists continue to report that there is no evidence of violence against Russian or pro-Russian communities.

Russian military action is not a human rights protection mission. It is a violation of international law and a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the independent nation of Ukraine, and a breach of Russia’s Helsinki Commitments and its UN obligations.

The central issue is whether the recent change of government in Ukraine constitutes a danger to Russia’s legitimate interests of such a nature and extent that Russia is justified in intervening militarily in Ukraine, seizing control of public facilities, and issuing military ultimatums to elements of the Ukrainian military. The answer, of course, is no. Russian military bases in Ukraine are secure. The new government in Kyiv has pledged to honor all of its existing international agreements, including those covering Russian bases. Russian mobilization is a response to an imaginary threat.

A second issue is whether the population of the Crimea or other parts of eastern Ukraine, are at risk because of the new government. There is no evidence of this. Military action cannot be justified on the basis of threats that haven’t been made and aren’t being carried out. There is no evidence, for example, that churches in Eastern Ukraine are being or will be attacked; the allegation is without basis. There is no evidence that ethnic Russians are in danger. On the contrary, the new Ukrainian government has placed a priority on internal reconciliation and political inclusivity. President Turchinov - the acting President - has made clear his opposition to any restriction on the use of the Russian tongue.

No one has to explain to Ukraine’s new government the need to have open communications, not only with leaders of the country’s Russian ethnic minority in the Crimea and elsewhere, but also with its neighbors. That is why, when the current crisis began, the government sent its former Chief of Defense to the region to try to defuse the situation. A second emissary was prevented from entering the Crimean Rada to engage in discussions. And it is why Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reached out to Russia. Russia needs to reciprocate and begin to engage directly with the Government of Ukraine.

I note that Russia has implied a right to take military action in the Crimea if invited to do so by the prime minister of Crimea. As the Government of Russia well knows, this has no legal basis. The prohibition on the use of force would be rendered moot were sub-national authorities able to unilaterally invite military intervention by a neighboring state. Under the Ukrainian constitution, only the Ukrainian Rada can approve the presence of foreign troops.

If we are concerned about the rights of Russian-speaking minorities, the United States is prepared to work with Russia and this Council to protect them. We have proposed and wholeheartedly support the immediate deployment of international observers and monitors from the UN or OSCE to ensure that the people about whom Russia expresses such concern are protected from abuse and to elucidate for the world the facts on the ground. The solution to this crisis is not difficult to envision. There is a way out. And that is through direct and immediate dialogue by Russia with the Government of Ukraine, the immediate pull-back of Russia’s military forces, the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and the urgent deployment of observers and human rights monitors, not through more threats and more distortions.

Tonight the OSCE will begin deploying monitors to Ukraine. These monitors can provide neutral and needed assessments of the situation on the ground. Their presence is urgently necessary in Crimea and in key cities in eastern Ukraine. The United States calls upon Russia to ensure that their access is not impeded.

The leadership in Moscow may well be unhappy about former President Yanukovych’s decision to flee Ukraine and move in with them. Russia may be displeased with the new government, which was approved by Ukraine’s parliament by an overwhelming majority, including members of Yanukovych’s own party. Russia has every right to wish that events in Ukraine had turned out differently, but it does not have the right to express that unhappiness by using military force or by trying to convince the world community that up is down and black is white. Russia’s calls to turn back time to implement the February 21 Agreement ring hollow. It was Yanukovych who failed to abide by the terms of that agreement, fleeing Kyiv, and ultimately Ukraine.

The United States categorically rejects the notion that the new Government of Ukraine is a “government of victors.” It is a government of the people and it is one that intends to shepherd the country toward democratic elections on May 25th - elections that would allow Ukrainians who would prefer different leadership to have their views heard. And the United States will stand strongly and proudly with the people of Ukraine as they chart out their own destiny, their own government, their own future.

The bottom line is that, for all of the self-serving rhetoric we have heard from Russian officials in recent days, there is nothing that justifies Russian conduct. As I said in our last session, Russia’s actions speak much louder than its words. What is happening today is not a human rights protection mission and it is not a consensual intervention. What is happening today is a dangerous military intervention in Ukraine. It is an act of aggression. It must stop. This is a choice for Russia. Diplomacy can serve Russia’s interests. The world is speaking out against the use of military threats and the use of force. Ukrainians must be allowed to determine their own destiny. Thank you Madam President.

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56 comments
1 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:28:06pm

Meanwhile, First Look is apparently now going to be shilling for the Maduro regime in Venezuela, much to my surprise.

The Washington Post Uses Biased “Experts” to Promote Propaganda on Venezuela - the Intercept

2 b.d.  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:31:48pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

Meanwhile, First Look is apparently now going to be shilling for the Maduro regime in Venezuela, much to my surprise.

The Washington Post Uses Biased “Experts” to Promote Propaganda on Venezuela - the Intercept

None of this is written necessarily as a defence of the Venezuelan government or a commentary on events in that country, but…….

hahaha

3 jaunte  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:31:55pm

re: #1 Charles Johnson

The WAPO is so sneaky they’ve smuggled their propagandists everywhere, even Venezuelan NGO’s.
huffingtonpost.com

4 cinesimon  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:33:45pm

The world owes much to those Americans who voted for Barack Obama.

5 Pie-onist Overlord  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:36:22pm

TCOT wingnuts are still Tweeting Putie-Luv memes.

6 Pie-onist Overlord  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:38:11pm

HURR HURR!!!!! IF ONLY SOLOMON NORTHROP HAD A GUN!!!!!!
Oh wait, if he had then he would have been executed for shooting a white man.

7 dog philosopher  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:43:05pm

Hell Freezes Over As Independants, Republicans, And Democrats Agree Nearly 100% On At Least One Issue

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Feb. 19-23, 2014

“Do you think the United States should or should not take the leading role among all other countries in the world in trying to solve international conflicts?”

All: should 31% should not 65%
Democrats: should 33% should not 64%
Republicans: should 34% should not 64%
Independants: should 29% should not 66%

8 cinesimon  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:47:13pm

Though I can’t stand First Look and The Intercept, it would pay to be careful - there is a history of American interests spinning all sorts of bullshit against the Venezuelan government. Much of the deaths are related to the drug war, remember, Not due to any sort of government. Is the Mexican death spiral due to any type of government? o. It’s about warring factions killing each other over who gets America’s drug business. There is ONE country that holds the keys to this issue - we need to remember that.
And we also need to remember that America’s right wing, their business interests(which have never been threatened by the Venezuelan government) and their ideological counterparts in Venezuela attempted a violent coup against Chavez, firing on their own ideological allies during a protest to try to stir up revolution. Bush and co were on board, as we now know, even initially allowing the kidnapped Chavez to be taken to America or an American base - when Bush and co realized just how amateurish and against the people’s wished the coup was, they pulled their support, and the coup fell apart. That happened. But now we’re supposed to believe those same people are all about freedom? Yeah - sure. And the Washington Post is, too. Really.
So laugh all you like at the suggestion(yes, in this case by a bunch of nutcases) that there is dishonest blaming going on with regards to the apparently entertaining Venezuelan death count(rather like Palin’s glee over Ukraine) - but it’s not a black and white issue, to those who make the effort to think it through.

9 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:47:53pm
10 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:48:40pm

re: #8 cinesimon

Though I can’t stand First Look and The Intercept, it would pay to be careful - there is a history of American interests spinning all sorts of bullshit against the Venezuelan government. Much of the deaths are related to the drug war, remember, Not due to any sort of government. Is the Mexican death spiral due to any type of government?

Yes.

11 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:50:03pm

re: #3 jaunte

“The WAPO is so sneaky they’ve smuggled their propagandists everywhere, even Venezuelan NGO’s.”

NGO’s? If they weren’t biased against the Maduro government, they’d be Governmental Organizations.

///

12 Killgore Trout  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:51:36pm

re: #7 dog philosopher

Hell Freezes Over As Independants, Republicans, And Democrats Agree Nearly 100% On At Least One Issue

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Feb. 19-23, 2014

“Do you think the United States should or should not take the leading role among all other countries in the world in trying to solve international conflicts?”

All: should 31% should not 65%
Democrats: should 33% should not 64%
Republicans: should 34% should not 64%
Independants: should 29% should not 66%

What’s up with independents?

13 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:52:10pm
14 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:52:35pm

re: #8 cinesimon

Those are good points - but the scenes of huge demonstrations show there’s a lot of popular support for the anti-Maduro factions. No one can deny the history of sneaky politics in Venezuela (and the rest of Latin/South America, for that matter), but I don’t think massive turn-outs like that are solely the result of covert propaganda.

15 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:53:39pm
16 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:53:39pm
17 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:55:21pm

Psych!

18 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:56:11pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

THE AMERICANS ARE HIDING ALL THE VENEZUELAN TOILET PAPER! ///

19 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:57:13pm

re: #17 Charles Johnson

Psych!

Same time stamp too. Weird, man. //

20 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:57:46pm
21 austin_blue  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:57:50pm

re: #17 Charles Johnson

Psych!

To the second, no less.

Spooky.

22 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:57:51pm

WHY IS OBAMA WEARING A SUIT WHO THE HELL DOES THE THINK HE IS?!?!?

23 Fairly Sure I'm Still Obdicut  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:58:20pm

re: #22 Gus

>WHY IS OBAMA WEARING A SUIT WHO THE HELL DOES THE THINK HE IS?!?!?

He’s disrespectfully in the shoe-up posture.

Chimpeach.

24 b.d.  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:59:02pm

re: #19 Gus

Same time stamp too. Weird, man. //

Ties go to the owner

25 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 5:59:34pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

Wingnuts’ demands have changed. They now want Obama to be shirtless, on some kind of farm animal.

26 Killgore Trout  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:00:29pm

re: #22 Gus

>WHY IS OBAMA WEARING A SUIT WHO THE HELL DOES THE THINK HE IS?!?!?

He has a wrist watch too. I didn’t think anyone wore those anymore.

27 jaunte  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:00:55pm

re: #25 jonhendry

Wingnuts’ demands have changed. They now want Obama to be shirtless, on some kind of farm animal.

28 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:01:31pm

Next on Breitbart “News:”

Obama Crosses Legs in Situation Room Meeting - Our Body Language Expert Weighs In

29 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:02:32pm

WHY IS HIS LEG UP LIKE THAT WITH HE KNEE UP SO HIGH AND YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE BOTTOM OF HIS SOLE!?!?! DON’T THEY KNOW THAT THE CHINESE WILL SEE THIS AND NOTICE THESE THINGS?!?!?!11TY

30 Charles Johnson  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:03:17pm
31 Lidane  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:03:18pm

re: #8 cinesimon

Is the Mexican death spiral due to any type of government?

Yes. In fact, a damn good argument could be made that all the problems in Mexico are directly related to Spain’s mercantilism and all the corruption and graft that were rampant when Mexico was first getting off the ground.

Yes, they have a democracy now, and a Constitution that’s modeled after the American one, but with their own spin on things. But 500+ years of corruption doesn’t go away overnight.

32 MagnaniomousCoward  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:03:29pm

Clearly, Obama should take off his shirt like Putin, that man’s man.

By the way, if a “ladies’ man” is somebody who likes ladies and is popular with the ladies, what does that make a man’s man?

33 b.d.  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:04:19pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

OBAMA IS SITTING AT THE REAR OF THE TABLE RATHER THAN THE HEAD OF IT LIKE A REAL LEADER WOULD

34 austin_blue  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:05:12pm

re: #29 Gus

>WHY IS HIS LEG UP LIKE THAT WITH HE KNEE UP SO HIGH AND YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE BOTTOM OF HIS SOLE!?!?! DON’T THEY KNOW THAT THE CHINESE WILL SEE THIS AND NOTICE THESE THINGS?!?!?!11TY

Dubya said he could look into Pooty’s sole.

Oh, wait…

35 ObserverArt  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:05:56pm

That photo of Obama in the Situation Room…that little electric gizmo in front of him…I think that goes directly to PolitiFact. Yep. He can fact check his progress on THE TRUTH in real time.

You can tell he is looking at it as he speaks…

/

36 kirkspencer  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:06:30pm

re: #35 ObserverArt

That photo of Obama in the Situation Room…that little electric gizmo in front of him…I think that goes directly to PolitiFact. Yep. He can fact check his progress on THE TRUTH in real time.

You can tell he is looking at it as he speaks…

/

No, silly. It’s a small teleprompter. ///

37 b.d.  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:10:07pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

REAL LEADERS DON’T NEED THAT MANY ADVISORS!

38 ObserverArt  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:10:16pm

re: #35 ObserverArt

That photo of Obama in the Situation Room…that little electric gizmo in front of him…I think that goes directly to PolitiFact. Yep. He can fact check his progress on THE TRUTH in real time.

You can tell he is looking at it as he speaks…

/

I just noticed. Biden is looking at it too. He’s probably keeping score for the boss.

…half a pino…no nocchio…wait…no…

39 b.d.  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:11:27pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I BET RICE IS TELLING EVERYONE THAT RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE BECAUSE OF A YOUTUBE VIDEO!!!1!!

40 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:11:40pm

re: #27 jaunte

Exactly. But in the Sit Room.

41 Gus  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:15:10pm

Fixed.

42 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:15:16pm

re: #31 Lidane

“But 500+ years of corruption doesn’t go away overnight.”

Especially after, what, 71 straight years of rule by one political party? That’s bound to foster tons of corruption by that party, and no doubt the expectation or necessity for any other party to do the same if it was elected.

43 chadu  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:15:33pm

re: #25 jonhendry

Wingnuts’ demands have changed. They now want Obama to be shirtless, on some kind of farm animal.

I have a candidate…

44 ObserverArt  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:16:45pm

re: #36 kirkspencer

No, silly. It’s a small teleprompter. ///

That’s on that screen down in the left corner of the room. Right now it says Mic On to let him know when it is time to start talking…

…as PolitiFact just gave the all clear on the last statement.

You can’t be getting ahead of yourself when speakin’ THE TRUTH and getting it checked on the ‘net.

But you are right…there has to be a teleprompter. Always.

45 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:17:22pm

re: #38 ObserverArt

Biden’s waiting for his EBay sniping app to notify him about that sweet Camaro he’s bidding on.

46 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:18:20pm

re: #29 Gus

>WHY IS HIS LEG UP LIKE THAT WITH HE KNEE UP SO HIGH AND YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE BOTTOM OF HIS SOLE!?!?! DON’T THEY KNOW THAT THE CHINESE WILL SEE THIS AND NOTICE THESE THINGS?!?!?!11TY

Wingnuts are suddenly going to adopt the Middle Eastern thing about the sole of a shoe being a huge insult.

47 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:19:26pm

re: #43 chadu

I don’t think Obama could manfully ride a duckling.

48 MagnaniomousCoward  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:20:01pm

Has anyone noticed that the Russian Stalker cosplayers who have appeared in the Crimea behave a bit like those scary UN blue helmets that appear in America in the X-Files series and the fever dreams of libertarians?

49 chadu  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:22:22pm

re: #47 jonhendry

I don’t think Obama could manfully ride a duckling.

Sure he could! Why do you hate America?

50 Lidane  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 6:30:11pm

re: #42 jonhendry

“But 500+ years of corruption doesn’t go away overnight.”

Especially after, what, 71 straight years of rule by one political party? That’s bound to foster tons of corruption by that party, and no doubt the expectation or necessity for any other party to do the same if it was elected.

Quite frankly, there was plenty of political corruption before the Second Mexican Revolution and their current politics. Read about Porfirio Díaz sometime. Hell, read about the hacienda system that existed for centuries. You can’t put it all on the PRI. There was a whole world of corruption before they ever came along.

51 jonhendry  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 7:06:21pm

re: #50 Lidane

Sure, sure. But having the most recent mess of decades be largely single-party rule (not necessarily the PRI) wouldn’t help anyone pull out of the earlier, long-standing corruption.

52 Lidane  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 7:32:48pm

re: #51 jonhendry

Sure, sure. But having the most recent mess of decades be largely single-party rule (not necessarily the PRI) wouldn’t help anyone pull out of the earlier, long-standing corruption.

The point is that the corruption and graft in Mexico have been there from the start, from the time of the conquistadors. It’s as much a part of Mexico’s history as anything else.

53 sagehen  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 7:52:40pm

re: #32 MagnaniomousCoward

Clearly, Obama should take off his shirt like Putin, that man’s man.

By the way, if a “ladies’ man” is somebody who likes ladies and is popular with the ladies, what does that make a man’s man?

Not quite the same thing as a gentleman’s gentleman. Hope that helps.

54 dell*nix  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 8:11:21pm

re: #41 Gus

I will have what he is having, hold the bible.

55 Swift2991  Mon, Mar 3, 2014 11:59:54pm

Seems like our UN ambassador gets articulate and calm when she’s really, really pissed off.

56 darthstar  Tue, Mar 4, 2014 5:55:58am

Wow. That speech is going to leave a mark.


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