Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUN / UKRAINE
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: UN / UKRAINE
TRT: 3.39
SOURCE: UNIFEED - UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 24 JUNE 2014, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
24 JUNE 2014, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Taye-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, United Nations:
“Today, according to reports, in a welcome development and one that could not only help reduce tensions but also improve the chances for a negotiated settlement,
President Putin asked the Russian parliament to revoke the authorization giving to him to send troops to Ukraine. President Poroshenko's office welcomed the
move as "the first practical step" after President Putin expressed support
for the peace plan.”
4. SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan Šimonovic, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights:
“The report highlights the rapidly deteriorating situation in the east. However, the situation has deteriorated even further, since the cut-off date of the report. Estimates based on information gathered from official sources, indicate that from 15 April to 20 June, 423 people, including servicemen and civilians, have been killed.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan Šimonovic, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights:
“There is an increase in arms and recruitment for the armed groups. Representative of
the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" have recognized the presence within their ranks of armed groups of citizens of the Russian Federation, including from Chechnya and other republics of the North Caucasus.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. Wide shot, Security Council room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“Russian rhetoric has been inaccurate, inflammatory and self-justifying. On June 17, just last week, Foreign Minister Lavrov accused Ukrainian military authorities of carrying out “ethnic cleansing.” Days earlier, a leader in the Duma accused Ukraine of committing “mass genocide.” My government, this Council, and the United Nations take extremely seriously any reports of ethnic cleansing or genocide. But baseless claims like this have the effect of radicalizing Russian separatists, escalating this horrible crisis and further eviscerating the credibility of Russian reports from the region. We should consider such claims alongside the facts on the ground, such as the situation of the ethnic Tatar community in Crimea following Russia’s purported annexation, which the international community will never recognize.”
10. Med shot, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations:
“Dialogue has begun, however in the so called Poroshenko’s plan there wasn’t a platform. It is not surprising that representatives of the east were careful in taking this plan. They don’t have a basis for trusting the Kyiv powers. For our part, we are convinced that peace plan without practical steps and direct negotiation process will not be viable nor realistic.”
12. Med shot, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations:
“From the very beginning I would like to stress - there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The only humanitarian problems in some parts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions are caused by activities of pro-Russian illegal armed groups where they managed to locally seize control of the cities. On the other hand, the Ukrainian Government doing it's utmost to exercise control of the situation, restore law and order and provide help for all our citizens.”
14. Zoom out, Security Council meeting
United Nations (UN) officials today (24 June) told the Security Council that while there have been several steps recently to help de-escalate tensions in Ukraine, including a ceasefire that seems to be holding and the start of peace talks, the situation on the ground remains deeply worrying.
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Taye-Brook Zerihoun said “today, according to reports, in a welcome development and one that could not only help reduce tensions but also improve the chances for a negotiated settlement,
President Putin asked the Russian parliament to revoke the authorization giving to him to send troops to Ukraine”; adding in “President Poroshenko's office welcomed the move as "the first practical step" after President Putin expressed support
for the peace plan.”
He noted that while the peace plan has received support from key parties in the country, the region and beyond, there is still more hard work to be done.
Speaking by videoconference, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović presented the latest report by UN human rights from the monitors in Ukraine, noting recent developments that have occurred recently through a number of initiatives and legislative changes.
He noted that recent developments create a window of opportunity for human rights and humanitarian confidence building measures.
However, -he added- the situation has deteriorated even further, since the cut-off date of the report.
Šimonović said “the report highlights the rapidly deteriorating situation in the east. However, the situation has deteriorated even further, since the cut-off date of the report. Estimates based on information gathered from official sources, indicate that from 15 April to 20 June, 423 people, including servicemen and civilians, have been killed.”
He also said “there is an increase in arms and recruitment for the armed groups. Representative of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" have recognized the presence within their ranks of armed groups of citizens of the Russian Federation, including from Chechnya and other republics of the North Caucasus.”
United States ambassador Samantha Power said “Russian rhetoric has been inaccurate, inflammatory and self-justifying. On June 17, just last week, Foreign Minister Lavrov accused Ukrainian military authorities of carrying out “ethnic cleansing.” Days earlier, a leader in the Duma accused Ukraine of committing “mass genocide.”
She added “my government, this Council, and the United Nations take extremely seriously any reports of ethnic cleansing or genocide. But baseless claims like this have the effect of radicalizing Russian separatists, escalating this horrible crisis and further eviscerating the credibility of Russian reports from the region.”
Power also said “we should consider such claims alongside the facts on the ground, such as the situation of the ethnic Tatar community in Crimea following Russia’s purported annexation, which the international community will never recognize.”
Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said “Dialogue has begun, however in the so called Poroshenko’s plan there wasn’t a platform. It is not surprising that representatives of the east were careful in taking this plan.”
He added “they don’t have a basis for trusting the Kyiv powers. For our part, we are convinced that peace plan without practical steps and direct negotiation process will not be viable nor realistic.”
Finally, Ukrainian representative Yuriy Sergeyev said “from the very beginning I would like to stress - there is no humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The only humanitarian problems in some parts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions are caused by activities of pro-Russian illegal armed groups where they managed to locally seize control of the cities.”
He added “on the other hand, the Ukrainian Government doing it's utmost to exercise control of the situation, restore law and order and provide help for all our citizens.”
As of 23 June, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has profiled more than 46,100 IDPs – 11,500 from Crimea and nearly 34,600 from the east of Ukraine.
