10:14 22.11.2019

Kyiv insists that UN court expedite hearing on Ukrainian ships' detention in Kerch Strait

2 min read
Kyiv insists that UN court expedite hearing on Ukrainian ships' detention in Kerch Strait

Kyiv views the case of Russia's detention of three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait a year ago as urgent, considering the ongoing criminal proceeding against its sailors, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister for European Integration Olena Zerkal said on Facebook on Thursday.

"We insist on the urgency of this case because, although Russia freed our sailors in September, criminal proceedings against them are ongoing. This means that it is still denying the immunity of Ukrainian sailors," Zerkal said.

Russia released the Ukrainian ships three days ago after seizing their weapons, communication systems, and documents, Zerkal said. "Thereby, Russia continues to violate the ruling passed by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea of May 25, 2019, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," she said.

In her words, the tribunal must put an end to the ongoing violations, and Ukraine demands that Russia be found guilty of violating several articles of the Convention.

"The sides exchanged their views and arguments today. Considering the significant difference between the sides' approach to the most sensitive issues, they failed to reach consent. The arbitration will set the rules of its procedure tomorrow, considering the result of today's hearings and its own opinion. We are relying on wisdom and progressiveness of arbiters," Zerkal said.

Russia is trying to stall the proceeding, just like it has done in the hearing of violation of rights of the littoral state in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait, she said.

In addition, Russia is trying to make the hearing in The Hague as closed as possible, Zerkal said.

The hearing in the UN tribunal has a procedural nature, and the arbitration will rely on its results in making its first decision, setting the rules of its proceeding, naming the case, and laying foundation for transparency by providing the broad public access to case materials and a possibility of online streaming of the hearing, Zerkal said.

The deputy minister said on Wednesday she would fulfill her last pre-resignation task next week: she will take part in the Hague proceeding regarding the new arbitral hearing of the case of Ukrainian sailors and ships detained by Russia.

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