We all want the Minsk agreements to succeed, but Russia and the separatists it backs have acted in direct contravention to the Minsk implementation plan to which they have agreed, and there have been a number of misrepresentations this morning. I would just like to reiterate three points for all of us here.
First of all, the ceasefire needs to be observed. Saying that shelling has been ‘greatly reduced’ and that the ceasefire is working ‘except in some places’ is saying that the ceasefire is not working. It must be a comprehensive ceasefire.
OSCE monitors need unfettered access. They have been blocked from this access, separatists have threatened to kill them, OSCE UAVs are constantly being jammed – this is not two weeks ago, this is all in the last week.
And again, moving weapons around is not a verifiable withdrawal of weapons. Russian and the separatists it backs need to pull back their weapons, as Ukraine has repeatedly said it is willing to do, and allow the OSCE to do its work to verify.
Thank you.
As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Kate Byrnes to the Permanent Council, Vienna | February 26, 2015
