Ukrainian delegation not to take part in PACE's autumn session, celebrations of Council of Europe's 70th anniversary
A delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has decided not to send credentials for approval to participate in the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from September 30 through October 4, 2019 in response to the return of Russia to the session hall of the Assembly without observation of the requirements of PACE resolutions.
"The delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in PACE... joins the statements of delegations of partner countries of Ukraine, reporting their non-participation in the celebrations on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe due to the unconditional return of the Russian delegation to PACE. Given that a significant part of the territory of our state remains occupied, and the armed aggression of the Russian Federation does not stop, we consider it impossible for the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe and we consider such a celebration untimely," the Ukrainian delegation said in a statement, the text of which is posted by Head of the delegation Elyzaveta Yasko on her page in the Facebook social network.
"[The Delegation] declares its refusal to submit the credentials of the new Ukrainian delegation for approval during the autumn part of the PACE session from September 30 to October 4, 2019. This will be a way of Ukraine's response to the return of the Russian Federation to the PACE session hall without meeting the requirements of Assembly resolutions, approved in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine," the delegation said in the statement.
During this part of the session, the delegation of the Verkhovna Rada in PACE intends to consult with partners in the Assembly to seek "joint approaches and solutions that would restore PACE's reputation as an important model of democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights and freedoms in Europe."
At the same time, the Ukrainian delegation called on PACE to confirm the binding nature of all decisions and requirements set forth in Assembly resolutions on the condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine and on the human rights situation in Russia occupied by Ukraine, which were adopted by PACE during Russia's non-participation in the Council of Europe in recent years. The delegation also calls on other delegations of the Council of Europe member states to hold extensive consultations on the development of effective mechanisms for the responsibility of states violating the Council of Europe constitutional documents and international law.
"[The delegation] addresses France, chairing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, to initiate consultations with the participation of French President Emanuel Macron and all interested parties to widely discuss ways to restore confidence in the Council of Europe and the institutional and moral crisis of the Council of Europe as a result of the voluntary and unreasonable refusal of the Committee of Ministers and the Assembly to insist on Russia's compliance with the principles and standards of the Council of Europe," the delegation said.