UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Jan Kickert, permanent representative of Austria to the United Nations, said Monday that the United Nations with its charter at the core has undeniably proven to be indispensable.
"Austria strongly believes in multilateralism and that a rules-based international system with clear and predictable rules is an essential precondition for lasting peace and development," Kickert told the Security Council ministerial-level open debate on the topic of "Maintenance of international peace and security upholding the UN Charter," which opened Thursday.
Six days after the killing of Iran's Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani by the United States, the 15 members of the Security Council and other nations had a chance to speak about the fight at an open forum.
"As UN member states, it is our responsibility to adhere to the Charter and the rule of law at the national and international levels. In this regard, we call upon all member states to strengthen our efforts to accomplish our joint aims," he said.
"Lately, we could get the impression that some countries believe they are above the law when e.g. the UN Charter, legally binding Security Council resolutions or human rights obligations, are blatantly ignored," he added.
The Austrian ambassador said, "We emphasize the importance of a collective response to threats to international peace and security, which must be guided by the rule of law."
