Speech by Alexander Kelin, Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, Vienna, April 30, 2014
Dear Mr. Chairman,We are grateful to Ambassador H. Bishevich for the report, in particular for the recommendations. Of course, they will require a certain adjustment to rapidly changing realities. But their essence is correct.
We fully support the conclusion that launching a broad inclusive national dialogue in the framework of the constitutional process involving all political forces in Ukraine, including popular movements, is the key to de-escalating the crisis in Ukraine.
We agree that the OSCE should promote dialogue in order to ease tensions at the local level. This is explicitly stated in the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. The Geneva Statement is also mentioned, which instructs the SMM to play a leading role in de-escalation measures.
We are confident that the OSCE should use all available opportunities for de-declaration, including assistance in promoting dialogue. Those who are trying to deprive the OSCE of this key function purposefully undermine the prospects for normalization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that all conflicting parties should sit down at the negotiating table, respect the Geneva agreements. The main thing is a dialogue and find a compromise.
Our partners now complained that supposedly there was no one to engage in dialogue. Of course, if you put in prison all representatives of the protest movement who are able to act as real leaders, represent the interests of the people of their regions. The authorities in Kiev should release people from prisons whom the people in Ukraine trust, chooses them as leaders, we need to start a direct dialogue with these people.
Establishing a national dialogue, as the practice of the UN, other international organizations, and the OSCE itself has already repeatedly confirmed, is an essential condition for the success of the efforts of the international community in support of resolving intra-state conflicts, including armed conflicts. It should not be forgotten that negotiations between the opposing sides, and in the absence of even a formal cease-fire, played a key role in achieving peace in El Salvador and Guatemala, Ireland, i.e. all over the world. I recall that only dialogue and difficult negotiations allowed, in the end, to stop the bloodshed and create the prerequisites for peace in the Balkans.
In each case, the international community has sought appropriate forms of facilitating dialogue between the opposing parties. Many sitting in this room have repeatedly urged that the OSCE mediation capacity be strengthened so that the Organization can help resolve crises through helping to establish a dialogue between the parties, national reconciliation and promoting confidence building measures in countries in crisis.
We are convinced that this logic should be followed in Ukrainian affairs. That is why Russia supported the inclusion in the Geneva Statement of 17 of April of a clear provision on the need for the early launch of a national dialogue in the framework of the constitutional process. Only a direct conversation between those who are now in power in Kiev and representatives of political and popular movements in all regions of the country, primarily in the south-east, can be the key to resolving the crisis. The OSCE, first of all the Special Monitoring Mission, should help them in this. This is one of the provisions of its mandate, which we adopted on April 21.
A number of our partners at meetings of the Permanent Council and in ringing statements in the media are trying to present the matter as if the Geneva Statement relates to two parties - those who seized power in Kiev, on the one hand, and Russia, on the other. This is completely untrue. These are attempts to alter the essence of the agreements in Geneva. They will not help to achieve a solution to the internal crisis of Ukraine. Once again we recall that the agreed de-escalation measures should be implemented by the “Ukrainian authorities and people in the field” themselves, as indicated in the statement. To ask the Russian Federation to do everything that is required for the Kiev authorities is unproductive.
With regard to appeals at the highest level for the implementation of the Geneva Declaration. We have repeatedly, before and after the meeting in Geneva, called for the organization of a normal inclusive political process and constitutional reform in Ukraine. Many times, even before the February events in Kiev, we called on our partners to resolutely condemn the ultra-radicals, including openly nationalist movements, such as the Right Sector and similar formations. However, besides the endless demands on Moscow, which are also accompanied by threats of sanction, neither we nor the main thing - protesting activists from the east and south-east of Ukraine, who disagree with the current Kiev authorities, heard this. All the fire of criticism and political pressure is still directed only at those who disagree with Kiev. At the same time, everything that has led people in Donetsk, Lugansk and other cities to the extreme form of protest is ignored. And there the protest movement is getting wider every day. Look impartially at yesterday's events in Lugansk. To ignore this is meaningless and dangerous, first of all, for the Kiev leaders themselves.
Media reports give reason to talk about mass persecution of dissidents, political persecution and repression against anyone who dares to express disagreement with the authorities of the “Maidan”. Far from the only political prisoner of the Kiev regime "People’s Governor of Donbass" Pavel Gubarev is already behind bars for two months. By the way weapons in the hands he did not take. We believe that an important part of our common efforts to promote de-escalation in Ukraine should be the cessation of such political repression against dissidents.
Dear Mr. Chairman,
I would like to draw attention to some aspects of the election campaign in Ukraine. There were only two candidates representing the interests of the southeast. But they almost do not give a campaign. They are discriminated against and beaten. The outrageous incident occurred in Kherson with presidential candidate Mikhail Dobkin. A group of armed people, which, according to various information, included representatives of the “right sector”, “Maidan” and “self-defense” of the city, blocked the plane right on the runway, forcing him to leave Kherson and refuse to meet with voters. Another prominent presidential candidate, Oleg Tsarev, was forced to refuse to participate in the election campaign because of the constant threats to his security and the impossibility of communicating the concerns of the south-east of Ukraine to the Kiev authorities within its framework.
But in Western Ukraine, ideological heirs of the division of the Waffen-SS "Galicia" march unhindered. Almost all Russian TV channels are still disabled in the country, journalists are regularly delayed and sent. At the same time, media reports about the forced construction of large temporary detention centers for thousands of people in Ukraine, allegedly to house illegal migrants, are of utmost concern. This number of illegal immigrants in Ukraine is not. The question involuntarily arises whether it is not planned to drive over dissenting citizens from the south-eastern regions of the country.
All this testifies to the urgent need for real, and not cosmetic steps on the part of the Kiev authorities to meet the wishes of people who also want to decide their own destiny. We need not statements of intent, but practical actions to establish a national dialogue that would correct the situation, return it to the political field.
It requires the immediate disarmament of all armed formations, above all, the militants of the Right Sector, the earliest start of an inclusive constitutional process with the real participation of all regions of Ukraine. The result of such a process would be the adoption of a constitution acceptable to all regions of Ukraine without exception.
For our part, we intend to further promote the de-escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. We presume that all violence should be stopped, any extremism should be rejected, illegal armed groups and, above all, Right Sector militants who threaten the lives of people should be disarmed.
Dear Mr. Chairman,
In connection with the concerns expressed by a number of ambassadors about the “destabilizing exercises” being conducted by Russia on the border with Ukraine, I would like to refer to the statement of the RF Minister of Defense S.K.Shoigu. On the Russian national territory in the regions adjacent to the border with Ukraine, military exercises were indeed conducted. This was due to the large concentration of troops in the south-east of Ukraine under the pretext of combating terrorism. The decision on this has been made public. However, as soon as the Ukrainian authorities declared no intention to use regular military units against the unarmed population, the Russian units were returned deep into the territory of the Russian Federation to the places of their permanent deployment. Everything that was conducted at these exercises does not carry any threat to other countries, including Ukraine.
I would like to emphasize, in addition to the widespread statement, that we, in the light of the above, especially see no point in convening a joint meeting of the forum and the Permanent Council on Chapter III of the Vienna Document today.
Our actions to resolve the situation with the detention of a group of military observers in Slavyansk will be continued. Speaking in Minsk yesterday, President Vladimir Putin condemned the detention of military observers and expressed the hope that this conflict would be resolved and they would be able to leave the territory where they are now without hindrance.
We intend to continue to provide the necessary support to the work of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
I will not comment on the speech of the American speaker. It is malicious, rude, does not contain any constructive proposals, even on the topic of the national dialogue, which was discussed today. Therefore, I do not see any meaning in it.
In conclusion, I would like to once again stress the need to immediately launch a broad national dialogue with the participation of all regions and political groups of Ukraine. I would also like to note that what we hear is a repetition of what we heard the day before yesterday, on Monday. No new facts, no developments, no fresh thoughts. In my opinion, such Post-Councils do not help the cause.
Thank you.
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