15:26 12.03.2014

Russia's actions a serious challenge to Helsinki process - Fule

2 min read
Russia's actions a serious challenge to Helsinki process - Fule

European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has said that Russia's actions are a serious challenge to the Helsinki process and jeopardize the stability of the borders in Europe.

While speaking at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, during a plenary debate "Invasion of Ukraine by Russia," Fule said that the proposed Russian bill foresees "even easier annexation of foreign territories on the basis of an alleged threat to Russian minority there and without a corresponding treaty with the relevant neighboring state will likewise go against international laws and principles."

"But is not only about Crimea, this is the most serious challenge to the Helsinki process we have seen so far. And that is why what is going on in Crimea is happening much more closer to us than many of us, many of you are ready to accept," he said.

Fule also said he was confident that the upcoming referendum in Crimea infringes in various sense on international law as regards the state sovereignty and the inviolability and territorial integrity, as well as the Ukrainian constitution.

"It poses a major threat to the stability of the borders in Europe," Fule said.

In this regard, he noted the EU's position, according to which Brussels sees the referendum as illegitimate.

Fule also said that the Russian government was doing "a grave mistake" for which they "would apologize."

"The mistake that would turn the multi-polar world into a zero polar world where only one rule applies - that there are no rules," he said.

He also stated that the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament were "principled, responsible and united in their readiness to adopt concrete measures but also principled responsible and united in offering in parallel the political dialogue to de-escalate the situation and find peaceful solution, because that is the way forward."

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