Mozambique's abstention in the United Nations concerning the Russian-Ukrainian conflict follows a constitutional principle, according to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation between 1994 and 2005, Leonardo Simão.

"It is written in the Constitution: Mozambique gives primacy to negotiated solutions to conflict. So Mozambique's position is an obedience to the Constitution," the former diplomat said.

Simão says that the principle results from Mozambique's experience during years of armed conflict, from the liberation struggle against the Portuguese colonial regime to the 16-year civil war, which "were solved through dialogue," including those conflicts where his intervention was indirect.

But also, the fact that Mozambique does not opt for any side is a result of the fact that the country has good diplomatic relations with the parties involved in the conflict, said Simão, exemplifying with the fact that Mozambican students have received training in Eastern European countries.

"Mozambique has two friends fighting, and being the third one, what you have to do is try to unite them," he considered, stressing that "as long as the level of tempers and negative feelings is high, there will be no dialogue."

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution on March 24, with a majority of 140 votes, holding the Russians responsible for the humanitarian crisis against the Ukrainians.

Of the 193 United Nations member states, the resolution, presented by France and Mexico and supported by Ukraine, received 140 votes in favor, five against, and 38 abstentions, in a group that, besides Mozambique, includes Angola and Guinea-Bissau.