NEW YORK, the United Nations. Sept 12 (Interfax) - United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu has expressed concern over the supply and use of cluster munitions, depleted uranium munitions and certain types of mines in Ukraine.
"Reports related to the transfer and use of cluster munitions [...] are also very concerning. The Secretary General has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the use of cluster munitions," Nakamitsu said during a UN Security Council meeting.
The UN has familiarized itself with reports on the supply of depleted uranium tank munitions to Kiev, she said.
In addition, she expressed concern about the use of certain types of mines in Ukraine.
"I reiterate my call to all the relevant parties to abide by the obligations under the Convention on certain conventional weapons and not to transfer or use any mines prohibited by its amended protocol too," Nakamitsu also said.
The supply of weapons and ammunition to the parties to any military conflict raises concerns about a possible escalation of violence, she said. She called for closer monitoring of the process for transferring weapons to ensure that they actually reach those they were intended for.
Nakamitsu also called on all UN member states to abide by the November 2022 political declaration on enhancing protection of civilians against the humanitarian impact of explosive weapons in densely populated areas.
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya, speaking at the same Security Council meeting, noted the high risks posed by the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine by Western countries, as well as depleted uranium shells.
In this regard, Nebenzya recalled the trial in Italy "where over 7,000 military personnel were poisoned during the use of such munitions by NATO forces in Yugoslavia, and 400 of them died."
He also expressed concern over the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine.
The United States is supplying them in particular because "there are very few conventional munitions left at NATO depots," Nebenzya said.
"Moreover, this is presented to the public in such a way that, so they say, cluster munitions produced in the U.S. do not pose any threat to civilians and are high-tech, while all others are bad and dangerous because of the high percentage of unexploded submunitions. This of course goes against elementary facts," Nebenzya said.