UN Security Council unlikely to pass resolution on Russian sanctions
Foreign affairs minister says Bahamas can take action at formal request of another state
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The US Embassy yesterday commended the government of The Bahamas for taking an “independent and forceful” stance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and encouraged the country to take further action by imposing financial sanctions.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said last night that the country has not received a formal request, but noted there has been “one informal inquiry from another country”.
US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Daniel Durazo, in a statement, said: “We thank The Bahamas for the strong stance it has taken thus far, and continue to encourage The Bahamas to take concrete steps to counter Russia, such as by limiting Russia’s access to the Bahamian financial system and restricting Bahamian airspace to Russian aircraft.
“From The Bahamas’ own individual statement, to the joint CARICOM statement, to the March 2 UN General Assembly vote, these are the moments when our shared belief in and support for democracy matter most.”
Durazo said: “The United States and our allies are continuing to support the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and their democracy from unprovoked Russian aggression, including through security, economic and humanitarian assistance.”
On Tuesday, The Bahamas stood in solidarity with 140 countries of the 193-member UN General Assembly in an historic vote on a resolution to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call on Moscow to immediately withdraw all forces from the country.
But as global superpowers unleashed a litany of sanctions against Russian air and sea transport, businesses and financial transactions, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the Caribbean Community had taken the position to “sit back and wait” to see whether the UN Security Council (UNSC) would pass a resolution for member states to impose sanctions.
We welcome efforts by our allies and partners to make Putin pay the price for his unprovoked and unjustified attack on an independent and democratic Ukraine.
– US Embassy PR Officer Daniel Durazo
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, CARICOM member states held intense talks at the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of Heads of Government in Belize on Wednesday.
Emerging from that meeting, according to Chairman John Antonio Briceño, was a consensus that the decision to impose sanctions on Russia will rest with individual countries instead of as a regional bloc.
There are currently 12 countries listed on the Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website with active United Nations Security Council sanctions.
These include: Somali, Rwanda, Sierra Leon, Afghanistan (Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities), Iraq and Kuwait, Libera, Côte d’Ivoire, Sudan, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Iran, Congo and Libya.
There is also a sanction on Lebanon; however, the website notes the sanctions cannot be imposed because there have been no individuals designated by the committee.
The possibility of a UNSC resolution on Russian sanctions is unlikely given Russia last Friday already used its veto power to shoot down a resolution that was drafted by the United States and Albania to condemn Moscow’s “aggression” and demand immediate withdrawal from Ukranian territory.
In response to questions from Eyewitness News, Mitchell confirmed that Russia’s veto power essentially rendered void any further action from the UNSC.
However, he explained there are legal provisions that allow The Bahamas to impose sanctions at the request of another state.
No such requests have been made to date, he said.
We continue to urge Russia to stop its unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and end the conflict, and we encourage all of our like-minded partners to do the same.
– US Embassy PR Officer Daniel Durazo
Yesterday, Durazo did not confirm whether a formal request has been made by the United States for The Bahamas to impose sanctions.
“We welcome efforts by our allies and partners to make Putin pay the price for his unprovoked and unjustified attack on an independent and democratic Ukraine,” he said in a statement.
“We are also encouraging our partners to add to humanitarian assistance in support of the Ukrainian people.
“The United States is coordinating with our European partners, humanitarian organizations, the UN and other organizations — and we encourage other governments to also consider supporting or increasing support to Ukraine’s Humanitarian Response Plan.”
Durazo added: “We continue to urge Russia to stop its unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and end the conflict, and we encourage all of our like-minded partners to do the same.”
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