Briefing, June 17th, 2014
The Russian Federation’s constant citation of the so-called OSCE roadmap proposed by the Swiss chairmanship does not reflect the real state of affairs, which surround the process of de-escalation of the situation in the east of Ukraine.
The OSCE roadmap is the initiative of the Swiss chairmanship exclusively, and not the state members of the organisation. It was not accorded with Ukraine and other parties of the Geneva process (aside from Russia), and does not have official status (which is why it was not publicised officially).
Our state greets the efforts of the Swiss chairmanship to find a way to normalise the situation and considers the OSCE a key organisation which is able to engage in this process constructively. However, we clearly state that we see the Swiss chairmanship’s roadmap as one of the possible helping initiatives in the process of normalising the situation in the east of Ukraine. Individual points of this initiative may have additional value; however, they cannot replace a full-fledged negotiations process within the frameworks of the Geneva format. Aside from this, some points require significant additional work, and some have already lost their relevance.
All instances of citing this roadmap and Russia’s recommendations of it Russia are attempts to distance themselves from the Geneva process in de-escalating the situation in the east of Ukraine, deny the responsibility for the current development of events, and exclude Ukraine from the decision-making process.
The base agreements regarding the de-escalation of the situation in East Ukraine is the Geneva memorandum, approved on April 17th, 2014, which includes clearly defined obligations of the parties, and which was supported by all participants of the Geneva format. Also, a search for ways to implement the peace plan of Ukrainian President P. Poroshenko in regulating the situation in Eastern Ukraine within the frameworks of the contact trilateral groups, which include representatives of Ukraine, the RF, and the OSCE, is underway today.
Ukraine’s practical steps to carry out the Geneva Agreements have received positive evaluations on part of the EU and the US. Our country has also expressed its readiness to hold a second Geneva meeting numerous times. Meanwhile, the perspective of normalisation, it seems, does not suit the Russian Federation, which is stagnating this process. In contrast, the Russian Federation has doubled its efforts in supporting terrorist groups in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The crossing of the state border from the Russian side by heavy military equipment, including tanks, and the uninterrupted flow of mercenaries onto our territories testify to the fact that Russia has not refused its aggressive plan regarding Ukraine.
Translated by Mariya Shcherbinina, edited by Alya Shandra
Source: http://mfa.gov.ua/ua/press-center/briefing/1231-brifing-v-mzs
