Introductory statement
by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine
Ambassador Yurii Klymenko
at the action on the draft resolution
of the 26th session of the Human Rights Council
“Cooperation and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights”
June 27, 2014
Mr. President,
It is my honour and privilege to introduce to the Council under its agenda item 10 the draft resolution “Cooperation and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights” as contained in the document A/HRC/26/L.15/Rev.1.
Ukraine has been confronting a range of profound human rights challenges in recent months following the events of February this year, which witnessed a large scale loss of life and casualties related to demonstrations in the country.
Ukraine has been actively seeking the help of the international community to address these challenges as it moves forward to embed democracy and the rule of law. The Government of Ukraine is particularly grateful to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights whose public reporting and in-country assistance has made a significant contribution. Nevertheless, we recognize that many problems remain to be addressed. We commit ourselves to open cooperation with the OHCHR and other international human rights mechanisms and to give due consideration to their recommendations. It is in this spirit that we have prolonged the mandate of OHCHR ‘s mission in the country for a further 3 months.
The draft text which we have presented highlights the cooperation which has taken place to date with both the OHCHR and mechanisms of this Council. Much of its content is based on the reports by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission deployed in my country at the invitation of the Government since March 2014. The draft acknowledges the efforts and achievements of the Government of Ukraine, while highlighting the range of human rights concerns which remain in the country. These are wide ranging but include, the rights of persons belonging to minorities, freedom of expression and the protection of journalists, accountability for past violations and investigations into notable incidents which resulted in many civilian deaths such as the Maidan protests and events in Odessa on 2 May. The resolution also reflects the concerns of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission which are specific to particular regions of Ukraine.
Draft resolution L15 rev 1 seeks to bring these issues before the Council at its next session through a report by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of this resolution which will be presented to the Council in September. We look forward to providing further information to the Council on steps we have taken to improve the human rights situation and to discussing ongoing challenges at that time.
The text we have presented is a product of two rounds of open-ended informal consultations and a number of bilateral meetings and talks with regional groups. The revised draft which we tabled took on board a number of the issues which were raised in those open meetings and bilateral discussions. I wish to thank delegations for their active and constructive participation in the informal negotiations and pleased to announce that since tabling document L.15/Rev.1 the following delegations joined the list of its cosponsors: Cote d’Ivoire, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Japan.
Mr. President,
In order to addressing some concerns expressed in our consultations, in the spirit of cooperation Ukraine, as main sponsor of the draft resolution A/HRC/26/L.15/Rev.1 would like to make an oral revision to the text, namely to delete phrase “who did not support the illegal referendum” in operative paragraph 12, which will now read as follows:
“12. Calls for an immediate end to all acts of discrimination and harassment, in particular towards persons belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples and other residents of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, including ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars;”
To conclude, Mr. President, I would like to express our hope that orally revised draft L.15/Rev.1 will be supported by the Council and adopted by consensus.
I thank you.