CHAIRED NATO MEETING: Jens Stoltenberg opened the meeting for NATO’s foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday. Photo: OLIVIER MATTHYS / EPA / NTB
BRUSSELS (VG) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that there is a clear difference between Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war against Hamas, but that international law applies in all conflicts.
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– My message is that international law must be respected in all conflicts, and that civilian lives must always be protected. That has been our message both about the conflict in Gaza, but also in other conflicts around the world, says Stoltenberg to VG.
Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) told VG that “many countries feel that our values of democracy and human rights only apply when it suits us”.
– If we criticize Russia for using force in violation of humanitarian law in Ukraine, but do not criticize when our friends do the same, then no one will believe us, said Eide.
– Many feel the same
After he spoke about this at the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Eide says that he has received a lot of good feedback.
– Many feel the same. The feeling is created, and someone has created it. It is a very strong experience of a different standard. It weakens the belief that we are not consistent in our message. This is a major strategic challenge for the West, and for NATO, if we are to manage to maintain support for Ukraine in the long run, says the foreign minister to VG.
Different standard?
At a NATO press conference in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon, VG asked Stoltenberg if he agreed – if there are different standards for human rights violations between “friends” and “enemies”.
– Complying with international law and humanitarian law is important regardless of the conflict, said Stoltenberg.
– But it is important to remember that the situation in Ukraine and in Gaza are different in many ways, he continued.
– Ukraine never posed any threat to Russia, and never attacked Russia. Russia’s invasion was completely unprovoked, so Ukraine has the right to self-defence and all allies agree on that, Stoltenberg added.
Several are concerned
– I agree with Stoltenberg, says Espen Barth Eide.
– Russia attacked Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to defend itself. In the Middle East, it was Hamas that attacked Israel, which also has the right to defend itself. But humanitarian law applies to how power is exercised, and there it is important that we do not have a lower threshold in one case than in the other, says the foreign minister.
Eide was asked if he thinks that several NATO countries will criticize Israel for violations of international law:
– There are more and more countries that are more and more concerned. That is my impression of conversations I have had. It is an experience that Netanyahu’s government is driving towards full military victory and will crush Hamas, which is causing a lot of civilian suffering.
THE FAMILY PICTURE: Britain’s new foreign minister David Cameron (right) was placed in the front row together with his American colleague Antony Blinken and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, when NATO’s foreign ministers posed for a photo in Brussels on Tuesday. Espen Barth Eide is at the back left of the picture. Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP / NTB
Wants an extension of the break
At the press conference, Stoltenberg said that the NATO countries are concerned about the war in the Middle East, but refrained from criticizing any of the parties.
– I welcome the extension of the pause in the warfare between Israel and Hamas. This has allowed much-needed emergency aid to the people of Gaza, the release of several hostages, and allowed humanitarian aid. I hope it will be possible to extend this break further, said the NATO chief.
Stoltenberg stated that he will travel to the Middle East in a few days to meet NATO’s partner countries in the region. He said the organization will continue to work for stability in the region, together with Israel and the Arab countries.
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Published: 29.11.23 at 01:08
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2023-11-29 00:08:18
#Stoltenberg #wars #Ukraine #Gaza
