MINSK, 24 April (BelTA) – Uzbekistan presiding over the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has transmitted the address by the CIS heads of state to the peoples of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the international community on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 to the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BelTA learned from the press service of the CIS Executive Committee.
“For the peoples of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 is an unfading memory, symbolizing the indestructible strength of their patriotism, courage, steadfastness, greatness of spirit and friendship in defense of the Fatherland and the deliverance of humanity from the “brown plague”. This feat is inscribed forever not only in our history but also in world history: 9 May is a sacred day and one of the most important and revered dates. We are sincerely proud that the peoples of our states, having withstood every test, made a decisive contribution to the attainment of complete and final victory over fascism. We remember the high price at which peace was won, and we bow our heads before the heroism of the Soviet soldiers who perished on the battlefields and before the memory of the partisans and underground fighters, the prisoners of fascist torture chambers and the civilians who gave their lives for freedom, peace and justice. We are immeasurably grateful to both the fallen and the living, those who fought and those who worked on the home front – women, children and older persons who, day and night, selflessly forged victory, supplying the front with everything necessary.”
The heads of state expressed their special gratitude to war veterans. “It is our holy duty to care for them in every way and to inculcate in rising generations the sacred memory of the great feats of the heroic generation of victors. The countries of the anti-Hitler coalition made their contribution to the defeat of Nazism and the achievement of our common victory. We greatly appreciate the courage of the peoples of Europe and across the world – all those who, alongside us, opposed Nazism. We call on all countries of the world to earnestly fulfill their obligations to preserve the military legacy and the memory of the heroic victors, including monuments, commemorative plaques, memorial complexes and military grave sites honoring those who perished in the liberation of the countries of Europe from Nazism,” the statement runs.
The presidents condemned any attempts to falsify history and consign to oblivion or devalue the role of the CIS peoples in the victory over fascism. “We, the Heads of the States members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, call on the international community to decisively resist the rehabilitation of Nazi ideology, including the erection of monuments and memorials, and racist propaganda, xenophobia and related intolerance in all its forms and manifestations. In the modern world, the lessons of that terrible war must remain a moral lodestar for all of progressive humanity and a driving force for action against discrimination and aggressive nationalism. We support the resumption of broad international dialogue aimed at strengthening the system of international security and trust among states in order to prevent and eliminate threats to peace. We consider that action by states to reinforce their own security must not lead to the creation of dividing lines; breed distrust, enmity, tension or confrontation in the world; or be taken at the expense of the security of other countries,” the statement reads.
While emphasizing the leading role of the United Nations in maintaining peace, the CIS heads of state called on the international community to make concerted efforts to build a just and safe world order based on compliance with the universally recognized principles and rules of international law. “We confirm that the states members of the Commonwealth of Independent States will do everything possible to promote the strengthening of stability in interstate relations and the preservation of peace on our planet,” the heads of state stressed.
The text of the address has been translated into all official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and published as an official document of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly under the agenda item “Seventy-fifth anniversary of the end of the Second World War”. The document has been distributed among all member states of the organization, and also posted on the UN official documentation system. It has also been circulated in Russian as an official document of the OSCE among the organization's member states and partners in cooperation and among SCO countries.