Ukraine Criticizes PACE for French MPs’ Visit to Crimea
The failure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to address violations of international law by its delegates disrupts the trust to the Assembly, Interfax-Ukraine cites the statement of Ukraine’s delegation to PACE.
"On behalf of the Ukrainian delegation, I express our resentment of the repeated ignoring of Ukrainian and international law – specifically, by the French MP Thierry Mariani. We won’t tolerate ostentatious violations and disrespect towards Council of Europe Member States. The photo of French MPs with the so-called ‘men in green’ [Ed.: masked Russian gunmen in unmarked uniform who occupied Crimea in March 2014] is a cynical demonstration of their disrespect towards the territorial integrity of Ukraine," the statement reads. This statement was sent to the PACE President Pedro Agramunt and published by Ukrainian MP Volodymyr Ariev on his Facebook page.
The Ukrainian delegation also expressed regret with PACE’s failure to establish clear rules to provide for the respect to international and national law by the Assembly delegate after three French MPs made the similar visit to Crimea one year ago.
"Along with the readiness of the PACE delegates to welcome Russia’s delegation in violation of the CoE standards, it disrupts the trust to the Assembly as a watchdog for democracy, human rights and the rule of law," the statement goes on. Ariev urged Agramunt to have this statement circulated around the PACE Bureau.
On July 29, a delegation of 11 French MPs chaired by Thierry Mariani visited Crimea. "This is in contradiction with numerous warnings of the Ukrainian side. French politicians neglected the official position of France that firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine (MFA) commented. According to the MFA, such a visit is clear support for the Russian aggression against Ukraine and of the crackdown on human rights in the occupied peninsula.
Source: Ukrayinska Pravda
