28th session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 2 – interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Remarks by Permanent Representative of Ukraine Ambassador Yurii Klymenko
(March 05, 2015)
Mr. President,
Ukraine commends the High Commissioner for his comprehensive Annual Report and its presentation.
We appreciate work of the OHCHR in all parts of the world, including in my country where situation requires focused attention since its deterioration in consequence of Russia’s occupation of Crimea and its subversive activities in the Eastern Ukraine.
My delegation welcomes the Office’s rapid response to Ukraine’s request for the presence in our country because of mentioned developments and positively assesses activities of its Monitoring Mission deployed in March last year, as well as regular reporting. We commend Mission’s readiness to provide assistance in developing the National Human Rights Strategy and corresponding Action Plan.
Ukraine welcomes the Office’s joint endeavors with the UN refugee agency aimed, in particular, at providing technical assistance and advice to my Government in ensuring human rights based response to humanitarian needs of the affected population.
The Mission has to expand its presence in Ukraine and should have an unfettered access to the territories under control of the so-called “Donetsk/Luhansk People’s Republics” as it is hard to monitor situation in a region while not being present there.
Speaking on the OHCHR presence in different regions of Ukraine, I cannot omit mentioning the occupied Crimea, the status of which is prescribed by the UN General Assembly resolution 68/262, and where the situation significantly deteriorates leading to systemic violations of the rights of local population on the backdrop of access denial to the peninsula for reputable human rights observers by the unlawful authorities of Crimea.
Ukraine is ready to further develop and deepen cooperation with the OHCHR’s Mission for the sake of protection of human rights on the whole territory of my country within its internationally recognized borders.
Pleased to mention that Ukraine recently requested the Office to once again extend the Mission’s mandate for another 3-month period until 15 June 2015.
I thank you.