35^th session of the UN Human Rights Council

Agenda item 2: Oral update by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

General debates

 

Intervention by Permanent Representative of Ukraine                                 

Ambassador Yurii Klymenko

 

(June 7, 2017)

 

Mr. President,

         We are grateful to the High Commissioner for the oral update.

We fully support his message of the crucial importance of access for monitoring and cooperation with human rights mechanisms in addressing grave human rights situations.

Monitoring is the focus of the UNGA Resolution 71/205 “Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)”, and we support the High Commissioner and his Office in their efforts to get access to Crimea in order to implement the resolution.

We firmly believe that, in any part of the world, when there is the willingness to cooperate, there is a way forward to improve human rights situation with the assistance of highly dedicated and experienced staff of the High Commissioner’s Office.

Ukraine can judge from its own experience. In addition to standing open invitation for Special Procedures, it was on the invitation of the Government over three years ago that the OHCHR Monitoring Mission in Ukraine became operational. Its work contributes to the impartial informing of the world community about the human rights situation, the root cause of which is the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

We count on continued support of the Office and hope that the expected High Commissioner’s visit to Ukraine will trigger further improvements in the field of human rights.

 

I thank you.