"More effective, prompt response" needed from UNSC: Russia

Russia on Thursday stressed a "more effective and prompt response" from the Security Council, particularly for early prevention of conflicts.

The statement came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN Security Council summit here on the maintenance of international peace and security. The summit was convened on the sidelines of the general debate of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly, which began here on Thursday morning.

"It is important for the Security Council to further improve the existing mechanisms and instruments at its disposal to ensure its more effective and prompt response," Lavrov said.

He noted "first and the most important conclusion" is that modern conflicts cannot be resolved by force, but instead with dialogue and negotiations "without isolating any of them."

"We should spare no effort -- material or intellectual -- for early prevention of conflicts and strengthening the UN potential in the area of preventative diplomacy and mediation," Lavrov said.

Active support should be provided to the UN Regional Centers For Preventative Diplomacy and relevant regional organizations that provide assistance to peaceful settlement of disputes, he said.

Touching on the forthcoming drawdown of operations in Chad and East Timor and the downsizing of operations in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, "it becomes especially important to elaborate effective 'exit strategies,'" Lavrov said.

"These strategies should help optimize costs and focus efforts and existing resources on creating favorable conditions to strengthen political settlement, prevent the recurrence of conflicts and ensure effective post-conflict peacebuilding," he said.

Source: Xinhua