OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva (center right) speaks during his meeting with Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Groysman, 11 November 2015.KYIV, 11 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) met today in Kyiv with Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) Chairman Volodymyr Groysman and parliamentarians from the Ukrainian Delegation to the Assembly for discussions that focused on the status of implementation of the Minsk Agreements and the country’s ongoing reform process.
The humanitarian situation in the east of Ukraine and the monitoring and mediation work of the OSCE were among other issues discussed.
“It is not just the security of Ukraine, but the security of Europe and the wider OSCE area which remains at stake in this conflict. Russia’s breach of international norms has brought us to this point, but we must now focus on accelerating the mutually agreed steps to getting us out. The ceasefire is not total, but the situation is better than it has been, and this presents a vital opportunity for progress,” President Kanerva said.
“In my meetings today there was consensus that the withdrawal of heavy weapons in the east must happen as soon as possible. That step is clearly needed to improve the humanitarian situation and to allow for safe, legitimate elections in the temporarily occupied areas.
“The issue of Ukraine’s eastern border is also critical. Until the country regains full control of that border I am concerned that weapons and personnel may continue to flow in. I believe that OSCE monitors should be enabled to fully observe and help stabilize the situation along the full length of the border,” he said.
President Kanerva also underscored the importance of the Ukrainian government’s reform initiatives and urged further efforts, particularly to combat corruption and to address the issue of decentralization.
“The wide-ranging reforms that the Ukrainian state is starting to implement would be a challenge for any government, let alone during a time of armed conflict. I urge policy-makers to focus on a long-term perspective for the benefit of the country,” he said.
President Kanerva reiterated the OSCE PA’s commitment to facilitating dialogue between Ukrainian and Russian parliamentarians in support of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
The President also met with Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), who briefed him on the Mission’s latest observations and planning.
For more on the OSCE PA's work concerning the conflict in and around Ukraine, click here.
