Comment by the Information and Press Department on the adoption by the 70th UN General Assembly session of a resolution on combating glorification of Nazism
On December 17, the UN General Assembly adopted at its 70th plenary session the Russia-initiated resolution on combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The resolution was co-authored by another 51 UN member states representing all regions of the world. The results of the voting were as follows: 133 supported the resolution; four delegations rejected it; and 49 abstained. The Third Committee of the 70th UN General Assembly session approved its text in November.
Importantly, this resolution was adopted in the year of the 70th anniversary of Victory in World War II, the founding of the UN and the institution of the Nuremberg trials. In this context, the resolution welcomes the holding of the special solemn meeting devoted to the 70th anniversary of Victory in WWII at the 69th UN General Assembly session in May and emphasises its role in creating the conditions for establishing the UN.
The resolution denounces the glorification of the Nazi movement and former Waffen SS members in a number of countries, which is done by unveiling monuments and holding demonstrations. It points to persisting attempts to desecrate or destroy monuments erected in honour of those who fought against Nazism in WWII.
The resolution expressed concern over the increasing number of seats occupied by extremists with racist or xenophobic views in national and local parliaments, and the growing number of racist manifestations during sports events.
The invariably broad support of this initiative by delegations of states from all over the world and the growing number of its advocates are making it clear that people still remember the tragic events of the war and the horrors brought to humanity by Nazism. But, regrettably, not every state shares this approach. Canada, Palau, the United States and Ukraine voted against the resolution, with the EU delegations abstaining.
We hope that the resolution’s adoption will send a clear signal to those countries that must take resolute measures to counter increasingly frequent attempts to falsify history and glorify Nazis and their accomplices.
December 18, 2015
