2015-06-30
357
Meetings Coverage
Expressing the Security Council’s grave concern at the tragic events and violence in eastern regions of Ukraine, the 15-member body today unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing last week’s ceasefire agreement.
By resolution 2202 (2015), the Council called on all parties to fully implement the “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, adopted on 12 February 2015 in Minsk, Belarus. Firmly convinced that the resolution of the situation in eastern regions of Ukraine could only be achieved through a peaceful settlement to the current crisis, the Council welcomed the declaration by the Heads of State of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, France and Germany in support of the “package of measures” and their continuing commitment to implement the agreements.
The 13-paragraph “package of measures”, contained in Annex I of the resolution, called for a number of actions. Those included an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and its strict implementation as of 15 February 2015, as well as the withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides by equal distances in order to create a security zone. Measures also included the withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under the monitoring of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as the disarmament of all illegal groups.
In addition, the package called for carrying out reform in Ukraine with a new constitution entering into force by the end of 2015. That document had to provide for decentralization, as well as adopting permanent legislation on the special status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in line with eight measures until the end of 2015.
Following the resolution’s adoption, some speakers expressed concern about ongoing intense fighting and called for an end to violence. Speakers also supported the Council’s role in urgently addressing an increasingly troubling humanitarian crisis that had seen more than 5,000 killed and 1.5 million displaced. Council members had also emphasized that perpetrators must be held accountable for the 2014 downing of the Malaysian airliner that killed 298 people.
Echoing a common view, the representative of France said it was the Council’s collective responsibility to “silence the guns”. The representative of Germany said the resolution was of utmost importance, conveying a stern message to those who violated the ceasefire.
Agreeing, the representative of Ukraine called on the Security Council’s permanent members to prevent violations. He also emphasized that the Russian Federation needed to secure its borders with his country and urge militants to honour the Agreements.
The representative of the Russian Federation said his country had continually done its utmost to ensure that open dialogue be established between the parties to the conflict. Underlining that the current package of measures presented an opportunity to “turn this tragic page in history”, he warned against unilateral measures that would contradict the spirit of the Minsk Agreements.
Also speaking were representatives of the United Kingdom, United States, Spain, Chile, Malaysia (speaking for Australia, Belgium, Canada, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines), New Zealand, Nigeria, Lithuania, Chad, Venezuela, Jordan and China.
The meeting began at 3:07 p.m. and ended at 4:28 p.m.
Exercise 4. Выступите в роли переводчика:
