Vasily Nebenzya
The United States and Russia exchanged quotes from black rights activist Martin Luther King at the UN Security Council meeting on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States (LAS), on Monday 18 January. The words of the countries' permanent representatives are quoted by TASS.
US diplomat Rodney Hunter was the first to use King's quote when criticizing the actions of the “Syrian and Iranian regimes” in the Middle East: “Hate cannot supplant hatred, and only love can do it.”
In response, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, also quoted the rights activist, urging the American side to end the arms race in the Middle East. “On Martin Luther King Remembrance Day, I would like, following our American colleagues, to recall another quote of him, which they apparently do not like to reproduce:“ A nation that spends more money on military needs year after year than on social programs is approaching spiritual destruction “, – said Nebenzya.
The Permanent Representative added that it is necessary to stop the “saber rattling”, as well as provoke an arms race in the region.
In the United States, every year, on the third Monday of January, is the Day of Remembrance of the human rights activist and fighter for the rights of African Americans Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is customary to engage in charitable causes. In this regard, US President-elect Joe Biden, two days before his inauguration, went to pack food sets for the homeless and the poor in boxes.
At the end of December, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky saw the FRG Permanent Representative Christoph Heusgen, leaving the UN Security Council on January 1, in the words of the writer Mikhail Zhvanetsky. “Dear Christophe, I would like to say goodbye to you with the aphorism of the writer Mikhail Zhvanetsky, who recently left this world:“ What a pity that you are finally leaving, ”concluded Polyansky.
