The Senator took part in the Parliamentary Forum in Jakarta.
The Parliamentary G20 is one of the most important institutions of a truly multilateral global architecture, the mission of which is to ensure the uniformity of different countries’ legal approaches and support the common efforts of voters in the leading states of the world.
Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev expressed this view at the Parliamentary Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit. It was attended by the Russian parliamentary delegation headed by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko.
Konstantin Kosachev took part in the forum’s thematic sessions on the role of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit in promoting multilaterism in the 21st century in the context of inter-parliamentary cooperation and on how parliaments can reach emission reduction targets and facilitate global cooperation on climate change amid numerous crises.
Konstantin Kosachev said that a peculiar feature of our time is that an increasing number of responsible players are coming to realise the need to advocate for democracy in international relations. “The unilateral model is not only unfair and authoritarian but is becoming a major factor impeding global development,” he said, adding that the very ability of one pole to introduce unilateral sanctions without UN approval is a permanent threat to democracy, justice and legality, and a major element of the effort to preserve the vestiges of neocolonialism.
“Such a shortsighted, egoistic and destructive position is doing damage to all members of the international community without exception. It runs counter to the universal norms of international law, exacerbates old conflicts and threatens the achievement of sustainable development goals and the wellbeing of developing nations,” the Senator said.
He believes the role and value of parliamentary diplomacy as a tool of open and honest dialogue is particularly important in this reality. “Sometimes, it is the only possible way to reach accord at a time when official diplomacy fails. It is the legislators that represent their voters and population of their countries that possess the creative potential to promote interstate trust and search for compromise solutions to international problems.
In this context, the Senator categorically rejected the policy of sanctioning MPs and denying them the opportunity to exchange views on key issues at parliamentary platforms. “These attempts merely confirm that some countries are not ready for equal and honest dialogue,” he said.
Konstantin Kosachev emphasised that G20 parliamentarians are expected to act in the interests of humanity as a whole and should jointly develop measures for overcoming current challenges and threats.
He also spoke about the climate agenda and the efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, he described how senators were working to achieve Russia’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. The Senator also spoke about the preservation and development of forests, the creation of a national system for voluntary certification and implementation of environmental protection measures.
The Senator stressed that measures taken by countries to overcome climate-related challenges should not turn into tools of dishonest competition and widen the economic gap separating leading Western states from the rest. They should not allow these states to impose unilateral standards, customs duties and the like out of national or group egotism. “Climate problems can only be resolved together, on an equal footing by sharing experience and technology. It is necessary to support those who are having more difficulty than others,” the Deputy Speaker said in conclusion.