AA15CR24ADD1

AS (2015) CR 24
Addendum 1

2015 ORDINARY SESSION

________________________

(Third part)

REPORT

Twenty-fourth sitting

Wednesday 24 June 2015 at 3.30 p.m.

Consideration of the annulment of the previously ratified credentials of the delegation of the Russian Federation

The following texts were submitted for inclusion in the official report by members who were present in the Chamber but were prevented by lack of time from delivering them.

Ms ANTTILA (Finland) – I congratulate our rapporteur, Mr Schennach, for his good report on the credentials of the delegation of the Russian Federation. No progress has been made in respect of the demands made by the Assembly in Resolution 2034 (2015) regarding Russia’s policy. The developments in eastern Ukraine have been bad. The war continues despite the Minsk agreement.

The package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreement stipulates that both sides should withdraw their heavy artillery to an equal distance from the security zone. Both sides have withdrawn considerable numbers of heavy weapons from the so-called security zone but many more are still there. The implementation of the Minsk agreement requires certain steps to be taken to facilitate a negotiated political solution to the conflict. In this framework, the package of measures foresees the need to establish four working groups in order to move forward the full Minsk agreement. The Russian authorities, the Ukrainian authorities and the representatives of separatist forces should participate fully and constructively in these working groups in order to achieve a concrete solution.

The cease-fire agreement remains fragile and there are many obstacles to the implementation of the Minsk agreement from all sides that could easily lead to a renewed outbreak of full-scale military hostilities. I am afraid that our policy will not lead to a concrete solution. What should we do? The Council of Europe must not of course lose sight of its basic values: human rights and democracy and rule of law. We have to continue striving for justice.

How can we continue the dialogue between Russia and the Council of Europe? This is a very important question. Without dialogue, it is impossible to find a lasting solution to the conflict based on international law and principles. We need a lasting solution and I am afraid that these sanctions will not lead to such a solution. We need something else. What may that be? Our main task should be to find a solution without delay and together with representatives from all these players.

Mr KORODI (Romania) – Stability in central and eastern Europe is essential. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and international law must be upheld.

First of all, we must continue to stand together to oppose any violations of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. Continuous Russian military intervention in Ukraine will only deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation and a take a greater toll on the Russian economy. I believe there is still a path to resolve this situation diplomatically in a way that addresses the interests of both Russia and Ukraine. The provisions of the Minsk agreements concerning the political process are of major importance and require swift and sustained progress.

Secondly, the human rights situation in the illegally annexed Crimea is rapidly deteriorating. We must not forget that, on 1 April, the only remaining channel broadcasting in the Crimean Tatar language, ATR TV, was taken off the air. This constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of expression and is part of a wider pattern of persecution and intimidation of the Crimean Tatar community by the Russian Federation.

In order to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Assembly, the Russian delegation has, first of all, to honour its commitments to the Council of Europe.

To sum up, I reiterate the urgent need for a sustainable political solution based on respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and independence.

Mr JÓNASSON (Iceland) – I have full respect for the strong emotional feelings of those who were under the Soviet heel and who now see Vladimir Putin´s Russia as the Soviet Union reincarnated. But then again, I also ask all of you to have full respect for what the Council of Europe is, and what it is not.

Of course, the Council of Europe is an organisation of 47 States, but first and foremost it is an organisation of the inhabitants of those States, often seeking redress against their own governments. So when we exclude Russia, we deprive the 144 million inhabitants of Russia of the right to take their grievances raised against their authorities to Strasbourg.

I have a feeling that we are slipping into Cold War rhetoric – the language of power politics – and forgetting that we are not NATO or the European Union. We are the Council of Europe, where parliamentarians from 47 States – not of 47 States, but from 47 States – engage in an open, critical and free discussion.

Robert Walter rightly pointed out this morning that Russia is illegally interfering in Ukraine. But so was his own country, the United Kingdom, in Iraq. Nobody now contests that the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was illegal. There are other States with a blacker record than Russia. I am not saying this to excuse Russia; I have often said that a former Russian head of the KGB in East Germany, as Putin was, will never earn my trust. I am saying this to remind us that we are not all pure angels, although one could conclude that from listening to the debate here today, and some politicians might imagine that we have forgotten everything from the past when it comes to improper conduct internationally.

 When Israel attacked Gaza last time with terrible consequences and horrendous human rights violations, there were those in this Assembly who wanted to deprive Israel of observer status. I opposed that, as I would have opposed depriving British MPs of their democratic rights in this Assembly after the illegal invasion of Iraq.

Some of you may think this is Cold War rhetoric. Yes it is. But this is where we are heading and I regret this. We should be the body not of reprisals, but of reconciliation, a forum for democracy. Feelings ran high yesterday when we debated human rights in Azerbaijan. Was that bad? No, it was not bad and it was not wrong. A heated, informed democratic debate on human rights is good and positive since it forces things forward in the spirit of human rights. This is our objective; this is what we are here for. Therefore we should not exclude Russia from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.