15 квітня 2014 р. Постійний представник України Ю.Клименко в Женевському Палаці націй дав прес-конференцію представникам місцевих та іноземних ЗМІ.
After our previous meeting the events in and around Ukraine continued to develop dynamically.
1. First of all, I would like to note the growing support of Ukraine by the international community, which, even against the backdrop of Russia’s persistent counter-measures, is very high. Just recently:
The international community sent a clear message that any attempts to modify Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders through the threat or use of force or other unlawful means cannot be tolerated in the 21st century.
2. Despite increasing international isolation the Russian Federation continues to increase its military presence at the South and Eastern borders of Ukraine. The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in his statement on April 13, 2014 confirmed the movement of 40,000 Russian troops to Ukraine’s border, backed up by hundreds of tanks, fighters, artillery and attack helicopters.
This data is confirmed by the international monitoring missions in the framework of the OSCE Vienna Document, the Treaty on Open Skies and by the surveillance information, provided by the USA, NATO and the EU.
3. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation is trying to shift the focus from these flagrant violations and disguise the problems in Crimea by distorting the situation of human rights in Ukraine. In order to refute such allegations by Russia and to establish a proof based facts by impartial international experts, Ukraine initiated the visits of a number of UN, OSCE and Council of Europe monitoring missions thus testifying to our openness and willingness to cooperate.
At present, Ukraine is hosting, in particular, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission whose first reporting on the situation in my country, combined with outcome of the UN Assistant Secretary-General Ivan Simonovic visit to Ukraine has been made public today in Geneva and in New York.
The report testifies to the high level of protection of minorities’ rights in Ukraine, including the Russian minority. It also pays special attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Crimea under occupation and provides evidence of the falsification by the RF of the March 16 referendum for independence of Crimea.
Besides, soon we expect a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Rita Izsak who yesterday completed her visit to Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the Russian side and illegal authorities of Crimea are blocking the access of international monitors to the peninsula, where the most gross and flagrant violations of human rights are reported.
4. Defiantly ignoring the signals of the international community the Russian Federation persistently intensifies its interference into internal affairs of Ukraine by stirring up separatist sentiments, exporting terrorism to Ukraine, inciting ethnic hatred with elements of propaganda of war.
During the weekend dozens of highly-armed groups, evidently coordinated by the Russian Special Forces, have seized a number of administrative buildings in several cities of Ukraine’s East and South (esp. Slavyansk, Krasnyi Liman and Horlivka). Weapons and hand grenades were used against law enforcement officials and some of them were killed and seriously injured. Peaceful protesters were blatantly used as human shields to defend separatists’ strongholds.
The Russian Federation exploited this pressing situation for calling an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. However, the international community repeatedly reaffirmed aggressor’s isolation and decisively condemned Russia’s further provocations.
5. All these do not contribute to establishing a positive environment in the context of preparation of the quadrilateral meeting of Ukraine, the U.S., EU and Russia, scheduled to take place this week.
We are going to present to the international community the vast and concrete evidence of the involvement of the Russian Special Forces into the separatist insurgence and violent capturing of state institutions in the eastern regions of Ukraine.
This meeting will not consider the issues pertaining to the internal affairs of Ukraine, but measures for de-escalation of pressure on the borders of Ukraine, as well as ways for resuming trade and economic relations between Ukraine and Russia based on mutually profitable market principles.
Ukraine is persistently opposing efforts by Moscow to disrupt Geneva talks under any concocted pretexts.
We consider negotiations as the only option for settling conflicts but if Russia would continue its aggression Ukraine is ready to use all means in self-defense according to the UN Charter.
6. Notwithstanding these challenges in the field of security, Ukraine has embarked on the path of comprehensive reforms.
The constitutional reform is under way in a fast pace in close cooperation with the Venice Commission. We stand determined to discuss in all-inclusive dialogue with local communities a decentralization reform granting significantly more power and resources to regions of Ukraine.
The Government has launched a series of urgent macroeconomic stabilization reforms to underpin the economic growth. They could be painful in the short run, but necessary for the national economy’s backtracking to growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
We assume these measures will help to enhance efficiency of public expenditure, increase revenue, improve foreign trade balance, and underpin the private sector. We do our utmost to adopt reforms quickly to resume economic growth in 2015.
Let me mention also that Ukraine fulfilled all the IMF requirements for receiving during the next two years of the first tranche in an amount of 14-18 bln. USD of the total IMF credit at a level of 27 bln. USD.
Last but not least - Presidential elections, scheduled for May 25, are being thoroughly prepared.
All the above mentioned measures will definitely contribute to restoring peace and stability in my country. The biggest destabilizing factor remains the Russian aggressive policy towards Ukraine and its blatant disregard of the relevant position of the international community.
But as it is well-known in unity there is strength, and the isolation leads to failure.