Serbia fails to sign letter of support for United Nations chief

Serbia was not among the 105 countries that signed the letter in which they expressed “deep concern with and condemnation of the recent statement from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel declaring the Secretary-General persona non grata.”

“Such actions undermine the United Nations' ability to carry out its mandate, which includes mediating conflicts and providing humanitarian support. In the Middle East, this could further delay an end to all hostilities and the establishment of a credible path towards the two-State solution, with the state of Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions,” reads the letter.

Countries that did not sign the letter include the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and India. Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine also weren’t on the list.

From the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia signed the letter in support of Guterres, while Serbia, Croatia, and Albania did not.

In their letter, the 105 UN member states call for respect for the UN leadership and its mission, constructive engagement with the UN, avoidance of actions that could weaken the critical role of the UN in conflict resolution and for support for initiatives that contribute to a peaceful and lasting solution of the crisis in the Middle East.

The initiative to sign the letter of support for Guterres was led by Chile’s UN mission, representing a group of countries including Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Uganda, Indonesia, Spain, Guyana, and Mexico.