Klimkin disappointed by PACE decision to open dialogue with Russia
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Facebook page, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin expressed his disappointment with the declaration adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of sanctions against the Russian delegation in order to resume the dialogue with Russia.
"I’m extremely surprised and disappointed by today's declaration of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Though committed to democracy and dialogue, today the governing body of the Assembly and its decision has cast doubt on it,” he stated.
Klimkin noted that further concessions to the aggressor and occupier will send the worst signal to the international community and will mean that Russia or any other country can violate the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe with impunity.
Klimkin also emphasized that Russia failed to fulfill a list of requirements and certain PACE conditions under which the decision on the sanctions may be reconsidered.
"Russia’s delegation has had the full opportunity for dialogue after the sanctions were imposed; however, they continue to give PACE ultimatums. The decision of the Russian delegation not to apply for the Assembly’s consideration in January 2016 shows that Russia decided to reject democratic dialogue and continues to resort to blackmail,” he stated.
Klimkin added that in these circumstances, the appeal of the PACE Bureau to lift the sanctions and resume dialogue with Russia "undermines the credibility of the whole Assembly.” He concluded that "further concessions to the aggressor and occupier will be the worst signal to the international community... I’m convinced that the organization that defends human rights, democracy and the rule of law, could not afford to move the border.”
Russia was deprived of voting rights in PACE in April 2014, immediately after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbas. On January 28, 2015, PACE adopted a resolution that extended sanctions against Russia and deprived it of voting rights until April, 2015. In protest, the Russian delegation said it would suspend its contacts with PACE until the end of 2015.
On January 17, 2016, Russia refused to participate in the January PACE session in order to avoid the extension of sanctions. The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Duma Aleksey Pushkov stated that Russia will maintain membership in the Council of Europe but temporarily refuses to participate in the meetings of its parliamentary Assembly due to "inadequacy of the sentiment that exists in the body." PACE noted that in this case, Russia will not be able to participate in PACE in 2016.