Resolution of 12 September 2013 by the European Parliament
The Ukrainian World Congress endorses the assessment, contained in the following resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 12 September 2013, of the escalating political and economic pressure being applied by Russia against Ukraine in the run-up to the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit:
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Vilnius in November 2013,
– having regard to the fact that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have the prospect of signing or initialling, as the case may be, Association Agreements with the European Union; having regard in particular to the new, enriched character of association that is at stake, offering a broad and deep relationship with European partners, and therefore going well beyond merely economic benefits towards strong political and societal relations,
– recalling that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum concerning Ukrainian nuclear disarmament gives Ukraine guarantees against the use or threat of force and provides for support being given to the country should an attempt be made to place pressure on it by economic coercion,
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1. Recalls that the principles of equality and respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty, non-intervention in internal affairs, good cooperation among states and the fulfilment in good faith of obligations under international law, as agreed in the framework of the Helsinki Accords, are fundamentals governing international relations among independent states and, as such, should
in no way be infringed upon;
2. Deplores the fact that as the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit approaches, different types of pressure are mounting on Eastern Partnership countries reaching the final phase of negotiating the signing or initialling of their Association Agreements; regards this pressure as unacceptable; believes, furthermore, that the progressive integration of partner countries with the EU is consistent with their pursuit of good neighbourly relations with Russia, and calls on Russia to refrain from taking any action which is in clear contradiction to the above-mentioned Helsinki principles; calls on the Russian Federation to refrain from exerting more pressure on the Eastern partners and to respect fully their sovereign right to pursue their own political choices.
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5. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to consider those developments beyond a purely trade dimension, which is merely a cover for blatant political pressure, and to take action in defence of the Union's partners, sending a strong message
of support for all Eastern Partnership countries in their European aspirations and choices;
6. Reaffirms its strong support for the initialling or signing of the Association Agreements at the Vilnius Summit with those Eastern Partnership countries which are ready and willing to do so, provided that the relevant requirements are met; believes that this will give renewed impetus to gradual integration and a substantial deepening of relations, thereby responding to those countries' European aspirations; calls, in this context, on the Eastern Partnership countries to continue and step up their efforts to conclude their current work in the run-up to the Summit, and not to succumb to the pressure exerted upon them;
7. Stresses the need for the EU to fulfil its responsibility to engage and to defend in the spirit of solidarity those Eastern Partnership countries that have been exposed to Russia's open, alarming and escalating pressures intended to deter them from entering into association with the EU, and asks the Commission and the Council to come forward with concrete, effective measures to support the partner countries;
In a letter sent on 26 August 2013 to Mr. Elmar Brok, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, the Ukrainian World Congress condemned Russia’s actions aimed at scuttling the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, since these are threats to the sovereignty of Ukraine.
Earlier, in a letter sent on 17 January 2013 to European leaders, the Ukrainian World Congress, inter alia:
a) urged the European Union to expedite Ukraine’s Euro-integration;
b) declared that the decision whether to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement should be made, not on the basis of the actions of the current governing authorities in Ukraine, but rather, according to the long-term best interests of Europe, Ukraine and regional stability and prosperity; and
c) stated that the alternative alternative is for Ukraine to continue drifting between the the poles of Europe and Russia, maintaining the current instability in the region with all of the attendant negative consequences;; or even worse, for Ukraine to becomebecome a member of the Russia-dominated Customs Union. This would inevitably harm arm the geopolitical balance in Europe, significantlysignificantly undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, y, cause further deterioration of its human rights record, and embolden Russia’s expansionarydeterioration of its human rights record, and embolden Russia’s expansionarydeterioration of its human rights record, and embolden Russia’s expansionary ambitions.
At this critical time, the UkrainianUkrainian World Congress calls upon you to ensureensure that the historic EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is signed at the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit on 28-29 November 2013.
This will be the most effective and concrete measure to support Ukraine as a partner country in a time of crisis, and to reconfirm the intrinsic European character of the people of Ukraine.
Such a gesture of trust and faith in the Ukrainian people will provide aa strong stimulus to democracy and social progress in Ukraine, which is clearly in the best interests of the European Union.
Sincerely,
Eugene Czolij
President
c.c. His Excellency Viktor Yanukovy, President of Ukraine
Ukrainian World Congress Member Member Organizations
