7635th Security Council Meeting: Briefing by OSCE on Situation in Ukraine

Delivering annual briefing, Chair of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe voices ‘deep concern’ over situation in Ukraine at 7635th meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 02:00:35
• Production Date: 29 February 2016
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER
• Corporate Name: ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE - OSCE
• Geographic Subject: UKRAINE
• MAMS Id: 1575311
• Parent Id: 1573892

Description

Voicing deep concern over the situation in Ukraine, the Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) stressed the need for greater confidence- and security-building measures amid the conflict there.

Briefing the Security Council, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is also Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, underscored the need for strong multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations and the OSCE — the largest regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter — in realistically addressing conflicts of unprecedented complexity.

“We are not reliving the cold war and we shouldn’t talk as if we were,” he emphasized, before focusing attention on Ukraine, voicing deep concern over ongoing ceasefire violations and restrictions on access for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in the country. Full implementation of the Minsk Agreements was the only way towards a sustainable political solution, he stressed, calling upon all sides involved in the conflict to live up to their responsibilities.

He went on to address the high risk of military incidents involving OSCE member States Ukraine, Russian Federation and Turkey, stressing that, in such times, confidence- and security-building measures were more important than ever. The conflict in Ukraine had exposed a need to update the Vienna Document, he said, in reference to a 2011 agreement on risk reduction, contacts and exchange of information.

Underlining the unique character of the OSCE, he suggested that its principles could provide a beacon of hope for other regions, including the Middle East, where its experiences could encourage parties in conflict to explore new paths to political settlement.

As delegates took the floor following the presentation by the Chair-in-Office, the Russian Federation’s representative described what had taken place in Ukraine was a violent coup d’état in the heart of Europe, emphasizing that the people of Crimea had chosen freely to join his country. Any fresh initiatives to address the crisis would distract from full implementation of existing efforts, he cautioned.

The representative of the United States called upon the Russian Federation to direct Ukrainian separatists to respect the ceasefire and end restrictions on the movements and activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, and for unrestricted access to enable the monitors to fulfil their mandated tasks.

With speakers praising ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the OSCE, the United Kingdom’s representative questioned whether the situation in Ukraine had made any turn for the better over the past year.

Ukraine’s representative said it was unfortunate that the Russian Federation had not reciprocated steps towards implementation of the Minsk Agreements, stressing that his own country stood ready to move forward on all aspects.

Other speakers today included representatives of France, Japan, Uruguay, Egypt, Malaysia, Angola, New Zealand, China, Senegal, Spain and Venezuela.

Taking the floor a second time in response to statements, were the representative of the Russian Federation, United States and Ukraine.

The meeting began at 10:05 a.m. and ended at 12:06 p.m.