A solicitud de Ucrania, el 18 de febrero de 2016 el Consejo Permanente de la OSCE aprobó la decisión de extender el mandato para la Misión Especial de Monitoreo (MEM) de la OSCE en Ucrania hasta el 31 de marzo de 2017 en todo el territorio de Ucrania dentro de sus fronteras internacionalmente reconocidas, incluyendo la República Autónoma de Crimea y la ciudad de Sebastópol.
En este sentido, la delegación de Ucrania divulgó la Declaración interpretativa (véase a continuación, en inglés) en la cual se pone de relieve el importante papel que juegan la OSCE y la MEM para lograr el arreglo de la situación en el Donbás sobre la base del respeto a la independencia, soberanía, unidad política e integridad territorial de Ucrania.
El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de Ucrania mantiene las actividades de la MEM, encaminadas a la aplicación de los Acuerdos de Minsk, e insta una vez más a la Federación de Rusia a tomar medidas necesarias para garantizar el acceso libre y la libertad de desplazamiento de los observadores de la MEM en ciertas regiones de las provincias de Donetsk y Lugansk, incluyendo todas las áreas de la frontera estatal ucraniano-rusa que temporalmente no está controlada por el Gobierno de Ucrania.
Consideramos esta decisión como una confirmación que los estados participantes de la OSCE están dispuestos a seguir manteniendo a Ucrania en su lucha contra la agresión de la Federación de Rusia que violó las normas imperativas del derecho internacional, los principios fundamentales de la Organización conforme al Acta Final de la CSCE de 1975, así como otros documentos que garantizan la integridad territorial, inviolabilidad de fronteras y la no injerencia en asuntos internos de Ucrania.
INTERPRETATIVE STATEMENT UNDER
PARAGRAPH IV.1(A)6 OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE
OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND
CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE
By the delegation of Ukraine:
“Mr. Chairperson,
In connection with the PC Decision on the extension of the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, the Delegation of Ukraine would like to make the following interpretative statement under paragraph IV.1 (A) 6 of the Rules of Procedure of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the OSCE participating States for supporting the request of the Government of Ukraine to extend the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission for the next period of twelve months.
The Government of Ukraine regards the adoption of this decision as the expression of continued readiness of the Organization to assist the country in countering the severe consequences of the aggression pursued by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in breach of imperative norms of international law, the Helsinki Final Act, bilateral and multilateral agreements, which guarantee Ukraine’s territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and non-intervention in internal affairs of Ukraine.
We see as critically important the role of the OSCE and the SMM in facilitating a peaceful resolution in the Donbas region of Ukraine with full respect to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity.
Ukraine strongly supports the SMM in accomplishing its tasks relating to monitoring the implementation of relevant provisions of the Minsk agreements, which include the Protocol and Memorandum of September 2014 and the Package of Measures of February 2015.
We attach particular importance to further reinforcement of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine with human resources and technical devices in order to ensure effective monitoring and verification of implementation of the Minsk agreements, in particular concerning the comprehensive ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and border monitoring.
The OSCE monitors must have full access throughout Ukraine’s territory, which includes the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
The Government of Ukraine reiterates its original interpretative statement appended to the Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 of 21 March 2014 which remains in force. The mandate of the mission covers the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
The Delegation of Ukraine requests that this statement be attached to the decision and recorded in the journal of the day.
Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.”