The Federation Council Speaker addressed the 150th Assembly of the IPU in Tashkent.
The legislators have been entrusted a historical mission of creating conditions for equal and honest cooperation based on national interests, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union is playing a special role in this, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said at the general debate of the 150th Assembly of the IPU in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which focused on parliamentary action for social development and justice.
She welcomed all the participants and pointed out that the Assembly was a vital venue where the parliamentary community can openly and frankly discuss the most complicated international issues.
Valentina Matvienko said that the theme of the debate was more important than ever because of the global demand for equality and mutual respect for each other’s interests. “It is obvious that the unipolar system, the “world of one sovereign,” and individual countries’ exclusive claims to cultural, ideological and value hegemony are not capable of giving humanity either justice or development. It can be said that the majority of issues on the global agenda are rooted in the aftermath of colonialism, the inequality of countries and nations, and unipolar dictate where there should be democratic equality.”
According to the Federation Council Speaker, the food and energy security crises have been engendered by the striving of a group of countries to ensure their prosperity at the expense of the rest of the world, which has restricted access to financial resources and has led to representation inequality at international organisations as well as and to regional conflicts. “That approach must be replaced with a truly democratic and multipolar world order based on the principles of openness and equality, which are the underlying principles of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.”
Some states and their associations continue to use illegal unilateral sanctions for political purposes, trying to enforce the “might is right” rule instead of the rule of law, Valentina Matvienko pointed out. “It is shocking and outrageous that sanctions have been applied against members of parliament, which I see as running contrary to the essence of democracy.”
The Federation Council Speaker emphasised the importance of upholding the principles of free dialogue and encouraging the lifting of all sanctions and restrictions from members of parliament.
Speaking about anti-Russia sanctions, she noted that they had not produced the desired effect despite their unprecedented number, and that those who initiated anti-Russia pressure were fighting inflation, growing energy prices and recession. “It is a boomerang that always strikes back, whereas regaining trust and respect will be much more difficult now.”
International security challenges are another major concern. They do not appear out of the blue but have authors, sponsors and beneficiaries, Valentina Matvienko said. “The most conspicuous example is the Ukraine crisis. The Western countries, which are acting in their geopolitical interests and trying to inflict strategic defeat on Russia, are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on weapons for the Kiev regime and brushing off peaceful solutions to the conflict. It is not common sense and humanism but the interests of defence concerns that are being given priority. As it is, huge funds have been stolen from humanity. Europe, which is the birthplace of two world wars, is again pushing the planet over the edge. There are developing countries among the hostages of this policy, because sanctions and disrupted supply chains are having a negative effect on the global economy and complicating the situation on the food market.”
Valentina Matvienko said that Russia was using its contacts with the United States on Ukraine to help Russian agricultural products and fertilisers regain full-scale access to the global market. “Russia remains a reliable partner despite the unprecedented and inhuman sanctions pressure.”
The Federation Council Speaker also spoke about terrorism, including cross-border threats. “We regard the efforts of some states to use terrorist organisations for geopolitical purposes as especially dangerous. Flirting with terrorism inevitably results in death and civilian tragedies.”
Valentina Matvienko noted that substantial achievements in the sphere of social development can only be made through concerted efforts. “There is much work ahead for the benefit of our nations and the international community as a whole,” the Federation Council Speaker said in conclusion.