New York - Information Office - 19 February 2020

The State of Qatar reaffirmed that the unjust blockade imposed on it for more than two and a half years, and the attempt to impose dictates and policies on it are flagrant violation of the principles of equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, and contradicts the efforts of the Special Committee aimed at respecting the Charter and international law.

This came in a statement made by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani at the meeting of the Special Committee on the UN Charter and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization at the UN headquarters in New York.

Her Excellency stated that the State of Qatar continues to support UN organs to enable them to perform their tasks and to enhance the position of the United Nations and achieve its goals, stressing that the various pressures have not prevented the State of Qatar from proceeding in international cooperation and respecting international covenants, foremost of which is the United Nations Charter.

In this context, HE referred to the unjust blockade imposed on the State of Qatar for more than two and a half years, and the attempt to impose dictates and policies on it in flagrant violation of the principles of equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the principles and purposes of the Charter, an in a manner that contravenes the efforts made by the Special Committee to respect the UN Charter and the International Law, stressing the need to address such orientation in order to ensure respect for the provisions of the Charter and to strengthen the role of the United Nations.

HE noted the importance of the UN goals to the international community, as the Charter clearly defined the responsibilities of the UN main organs to ensure the achievement of the goals that it sought.

She added that achieving a balance between the mandates of the main organs, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, in particular between the mandate of the General Assembly, as the main deliberative and representative body, and the mandate of the Security Council which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is an important matter to enable the UN organs to carry out their tasks.

Her Excellency pointed out that the Charter emphasized the principles of pluralism, international cooperation, equality between states, non-interference in internal affairs and respect for international law, adding that this matter places upon states the responsibility of acting in good faith in accordance with the Charter's purposes and principles.

Regarding the peaceful settlement of disputes, HE Sheikha Alya praised the State of Qatar's firm policy towards supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes, stressing the State's keenness to take the lead in resolving disputes by peaceful means, and with the support of the relevant agencies of the United Nations.

She also expressed the State of Qatar's support for the Special Committee to continue to pay attention to the peaceful settlement of disputes, noting the adoption of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, which represents a comprehensive framework for the peaceful settlement of disputes. She considered the Declaration as a valuable and extremely important achievement for the international community.

HE reiterated the State of Qatar's support to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and its adherence to the role it plays in the peaceful settlement of disputes, pointing out that it contributed to the prevention and settlement of disputes and supported the international efforts to maintain international peace and security.

HE stressed that respecting the decisions of the International Court of Justice, as the main judicial organ of the United Nations, is a test of the extent of adherence to international law and the foundations of friendly relations and cooperation between states, warning against non-compliance with the decisions of the Court, which is a violation of the provisions of the UN Charter and undermining of international efforts in the maintenance of international peace and security. She also called for finding ways to respect the Court's decisions and oblige parties to the conflict to implement them.

At the end of the statement, HE the Ambassador affirmed that the State of Qatar will continue to work with member states within the framework of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and to strengthen the role of the organization, in order to ensure respect for the goals and purposes of the Charter.