Nepal on Wednesday voted in favor of a resolution condemning Russia’s attempted annexation of four Ukrainian areas by conducting a referendum within Ukraine, at the United Nations General Assembly.

According to the United Nations news, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that condemns Russia’s “illegal so-called referendums” in regions within Ukraine’s internationally-recognized borders, and demands it reverses its annexation declaration.

As many as 143 nations voted in favor of the UN resolution and Russian decision to annex four Ukrainian regions while 35 countries including Nepal’s immediate neighbors, India and China, were absent in the voting.

Five countries including Russia voted against the resolution.

Ahead of the UN voting, the Western bloc had put pressure on the Deuba government to vote against the Russian decision to hold a referendum to annex four regions in Ukraine.

In two earlier votings, first, Nepal had voted against Russian aggression but the second time, on a vote to suspend Russia as a UN human rights commission member, Nepal had remained absent in Geneva.

Speaking in the session, Amrit Bahadur Rai, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that his delegation is deeply distressed by the protracted violence and conflict in Ukraine.

“It has posed a significant threat to international peace and security,” said Rai. “Nepal’s position on Ukraine has remained clear that the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and non-aggression as enshrined in the United Nations Charter are inviolable and must be fully respected by all member states at all times.”

There cannot be any ifs and buts, he added.

“The UN Charter clearly stipulates that all members must settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered,” Rai said, “Peaceful co-existence, non-aggression, non-interference, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence are the fundamentals of Nepal’s foreign policy.”

During the session, Nepal reiterated its call for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine to create conditions for dialogue and diplomacy, pointing out that it is the only path to resolve conflicts and find a lasting political solution.

“Based on Nepal’s long standing principled position on the inviolability of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all states, and its unwavering respect for international law, rules-based multilateral system, the UN charter, and the values of world peace, my delegation will vote ’Yes’ on the draft resolution that is before us today,” Rai said in his explanation of vote at 11th emergency session in New York.