Mr Chair,

The Russian delegation has the honour to introduce on its behalf and also on the behalf of a group of co-sponsors from all regions of the world a draft resolution as contained in document L.62. I would like to express our gratitude to all states who submitted constructive proposals to the coordination of this document.

Mr Chair,

Next year it will be 75 years since the moment when member states of the anti-Hitler coalition, which later called themselves the United Nations, secured a great Victory over Nazism and fascism. Then, in 1945, the founders of the UN were convinced that the Nazi ideology based on a theory of racial superiority had been consigned to history. And this was also facilitated by the decisions of the Nuremberg Trials, which decisively and unequivocally condemned the actions of those who trampled people’s rights, freedoms and dignity of the individual and denied the principle of people’s equality regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious or linguistic affiliation.

However, there are still those who, to further their own political and opportunistic interests, are trying to review the decisions of the Nuremberg Trials, to re-write history, to try to prove that the ideology of National Socialism has every right to exist, and the acts of the Nazis and those who collaborated with them were dictated by some “higher ideals.” We believe this approach to be unacceptable and completely sacrilegious.

Mr Chair,

In the draft resolution presented before the Third Committee mention is made of contemporary and very dangerous trends which we need to counter both at the national and international levels. Today we are still encountering different manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Moreover, the spread of racist and extremist ideas is more and more often justified by references to the supposedly absolute nature of the freedom of expression, which runs counter to the obligations of states under international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

We cannot but be concerned by the fact that the ideology and practice that the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition fought against is still inspiring extremist groups. This is largely encouraged by the glorification of those who were complicit in the crimes of Nazism, including the exoneration of former members of the SS, including units of the Waffen-SS, which the Nuremberg Tribunal recognised as criminal for their acts during World War II. 

A war is being waged in Europe against monuments to those who fought against Nazism and fascism while at the same time memorials honouring the Nazis are unveiled with great pomp. This can only be called a desecration of the veterans of the anti-fascist movement. 

Proclaiming that those who fought alongside the Nazis were heroes or equating them with those who were part of a national liberation movement plays directly in the hands of those who stand for racial purity, for discrimination based on racial or ethnic affiliation, not to mention what example this sets for the younger generation.

Mr Chair,

The phenomena and practices mentioned in the draft resolution that has been presented to the UN member states pose a threat to the entire international community. Our joint task is to jointly seek a response to this challenge through pooling our efforts and strengthening international cooperation. It depends on us whether Nazi ideology will become a subject for studies by historians, or whether the postulates of National Socialism will get a second wind for the sake of short-term political benefits. 

Thank you.