Declaration condemning the Russian Federation’s actions of forced intervention which resulted in the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – a part of Ukraine, and taking the necessary security measures for the Republic of Moldova
March 27, 2014, Chișinău, Moldova
Declaration
condemning the Russian Federation’s actions of forced intervention which resulted in the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – a part of Ukraine, and taking the necessary security measures for the Republic of Moldova
We consider that the aggressive act committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which resulted in the annexation of Crimea conforming with the darkest precedents of the past decades, severely damaging the entire international security system, especially the security of those states which have willingly given up their nuclear weapons in return for international guarantees.
The consequences of the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity leads to serious risks for maintaining peace and stability in Eastern Europe, by undermining the guarantees awarded to Ukraine through the 1994 Budapest Agreement; moreover, trade and investment will be seriously affected in times of a very difficult economic crisis in Europe.
The current reality and these new challenges require prompt actions for ensuring proper security risk management in the region.
In order to avoid the rapid worsening of the situation, we ask to bring the security topic to a new level of dialogue and collaboration within the Eastern Partnership, with the involvement of NATO and USA. The mutual commitment which will result from this dialogue will strengthen regional security and stability and will consolidate democratic institutions in the Eastern Partnership countries.
Aiming at reducing the risks of escalating challenges, we ask the maximum possible speed in signing the Association Agreements with Republic of Moldova and Georgia, offering these countries and the Ukraine the status of EU candidates and the status of EU members in the foreseeable future. Through common and coherent efforts, our strong wish is to stop those who intend to re-divide Europe into spheres of influence, who deny the right of our populations to independently decide their own fates.
See the full text of Public Position (below)
condemning the Russian Federation’s actions of forced intervention which resulted in the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – a part of Ukraine, and taking the necessary security measures for the Republic of Moldova
National Participation Council (CNP), www.CNP.md
Eastern Partnership Platform Moldova www.eap-csf.md
National NGO Council of Moldova, www.ConsiliulONG.md
Public Position
condemning Russian Federation’s actions of forced intervention which resulted in the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – a part of Ukraine, and taking the necessary security measures for the Republic of Moldova
1. Crimea’s annexation represents an act of aggression against the territorial integrity of Ukraine that brutally infringes upon norms of international law, the Constitution of Ukraine and of the Russian Federation.
1.1 The Russian Federation instigated and supported politically, diplomatically and militarily separatist representatives, by means of spying, transfer of military equipment and financial assistance; actions in violation of constitutional norms aimed at seizure by force the authorities and legal institutions of Ukraine, at taking over military objectives, at undermining the institutions responsible for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
1.2 The Russian Federation and their controlled separatist forces launched a persistent campaign of persecution and displacement of the legal authorities’ representatives; undertook systemic infringement of human rights to the security and liberty of the individual, to free movement and freedom from torture, to freedom of expression; undertook arrests and intimidation based on ethnic and ideological motives.
1.3 Pro-Russian separatist forces, assisted by their kindred special agents, imposed de facto separatist power, organized an unconstitutional plebiscite and illegally, under terror, persecuted at gunpoint and threat of military intervention in order to formally justify the violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine.
1.4 The Russian Federation brutally infringed the provisions of the UN Charter, Helsinki agreements, 1997 basic bilateral treaty, and 1994 multilateral agreement on Ukraine guaranteed sovereignty by invoking false nonexistent motives of humanitarian protection of the Russian speaking-population of Crimea, creating an irresponsible precedent of aggression against the international legal order.
1.5 The Russian Federation incorporated the territory of Ukraine through an unconstitutional presidential decree, infringing the Russian supreme law procedures and norms.
1.6 The Russian Federation had been rejecting, during the whole mentioned period, all efforts taken by the constitutional authorities of Ukraine, by the international community (EU, UN), by Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity guarantor States (USA, Great Britain, Germany, France) to address pertinent situations diplomatically as part of bilateral or multilateral proposed negotiated formats, in defiance of the international legal order and practice in such situations.
1.7. The takeover of parts of the territory of a sovereign state as a result of a dominant role of Russian Federation has been known before: Transnistrian region of Republic of Moldova, Georgian regions of Abkhaz and Southern Ossetia – all non-solved conflicts – and therefore representing high risks of territorial separatism and seizure in these regions in the coming future.
2. The consequences of Ukraine territorial takeover cause existential risks for peace and stability in Eastern Europe, seriously undermine international rules, and affects commercial relations and investments in times of unsettled economic hurdles in Europe.
2.1. Regional and European security – as a means of guaranteeing territorial integrity, political stability, bilateral and multilateral relations – are irrecoverably undermined by the unilateral actions of the Russian Federation.
2.2. The objectives of international policies of nuclear non-proliferation are undermined through the creation of a precedent of breaching a multilateral agreement which guaranteed territorial integrity in return for disposing the possession or development of nuclear military capabilities – direct breach of a 1994 multilateral agreement which guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty.
2.3. The regional European security framework built on parity of NATO presence, neutrality zones and Russian Federation itself proves to be inadequate and lacks the real substance of ensured security for countries which hold a neutrality status.
2.4. Reduced and destabilized the region’s attractiveness for economic investments and new infrastructure projects, and regional transition emerged unavoidably.
2.5. Creation of a hostile climate, directly threatening and discouraging of the pursuance of models of democratic development aimed at democratic consolidation, peaceful change and increased accountability of the public authorities before their citizens became the target of the imposed Russian model of state functioning.
2.6. Building up circumstances of direct threat by force and intervention by the Russian Federation undermining the prospect of territorial integrity, and the chances for the economic and politic stability of those states from the region which have pursued the path of the European integration.
3. The concerns and new developing challenges ask for prompt actions to ensure their adequate address
With respect to the Republic of Moldova:
3.1 Moldovan authorities to offer political, diplomatic, technical and financial support and other democratic means in order to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine and its European integration direction path.
3.2 Moldovan authorities to ensure political support to the Ukrainian authorities within the multilateral organizations (OSCE, UN, etc.) in order to ensure the sovereignty, independence and integrity of the neighboring state, and avoid the possibility of being lured by „underground” promises and agreements that the aggressor state may opportunistically offer.
3.3 Moldovan authorities to speed up the implementation of the association plans with the European Union through signing and ratifying the bilateral agreements between the EU and Moldova, strengthening the democratic reform agenda in the implementation process and soliciting EU candidate status and EU member status in the foreseeable future.
3.4. Moldovan authorities to urge security sector reform (army, internal affairs, special services) through increasing the level of officials’ professional responsibility, patriotism, interaction and parliamentary-effective oversight over policies in their domain of competence. The wave of dramatic trends which threaten the security of Moldova bring to the public agenda the imperative of intensifying the fight against extremist groups, foreign special services and separatist movements on the sovereign territory of Moldova in partnership with the with Western partners.
3.5. Moldovan authorities to undertake more efforts in protecting the informational space of the country and fight against aggressive propaganda and media intoxication, suspending radio and TV aired emissions aimed at directly harming the territorial integrity, national unity and constitutional order of the Republic of Moldova.
3.6 Moldovan authorities along with the EU, USA and Ukraine to initiate the process of reformatting the negotiation framework in regards to solving the Transnistrian conflict in the eastern part of Moldova, in such a situation where the Russian Federation has compromised its position as one of the guarantors of regional security openly defying the intention of final conflict resolution.
3.7 The ongoing threats of military intervention from the Russian Federation and from its agents in the Eastern region of Moldova requires maximum mobilization and vigilance, including finding extraordinary ways for the guarantee of the national security through tight cooperation with international specialized organizations and through bilateral agreements.
3.8 Political parties, especially the opposition parties – represented and not in the parliament, including political movements – to act with full accountability for the national interest and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova in order to consolidate statehood and eliminating the risks of the country’s destabilization.
With respect to Ukraine:
3.9 European States and Ukraine to recourse to the use of the legal international instruments in order to ensure responsibility of the actors responsible for the Russian military invasion in Ukraine, inclusively through: a) European Court for Human Rights – through interstate mechanisms for human rights infringements, b) Security Council – confirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine by adopting resolutions, c) OSCE – approaching the concerns referring to interior and regional security, d) Council of Europe – discussing the situations and complaints referring to human rights and functioning of democratic institutions.
3.10 EU, US and G7 to expand the support given to the consolidation of democratic institutions and statehood through deepening the democratic reforms in Ukraine and strengthening institutional capacities of Ukrainian authorities.
3.11 EU, US and G7 to adopt programs and actions with financial, technical, humanitarian and diplomatic characters aimed at supporting citizens and inhabitants from Ukrainian Crimea, and to adopt tools that will discourage the creation and development of unconstitutional institutions on the territory of Crimea.
With respect to the Eastern Europe region:
3.12 NATO and the countries from the region to strengthen the regional security order by qualitative deepening of technical and military cooperation in order to consolidate the collective military capacities, and will start indentifying and implementing the advanced regime of regional security ensuring the European Pro-Atlanta option. .
3.13 UE, US and G7 to use political instruments that strengthen stability: a) Signing and ratifying the economic and political association agreements of regions’ remaining countries with UE in the short term, b) strengthening partnerships for collective security in Eastern Europe with NATO, c) strengthening multilateral security agreements in Eastern Europe, d) fast launch of functional mechanism of regional security guaranteeing in ad hoc format crisis and threatening conditions.
3.14 UE and G7 to develop systems of infrastructure and alternative energy sources for countries in the region and in the short term for the Republic of Moldova to ensure the full functioning of Iasi-Ungheni pipeline.
3.15 UE to recognize the role of national Platforms and the European Civil Society in setting the external assistance priorities and in contributing to the development of an authentic civil society in the affected region.
With respect to the Russian Federation we ask:
3.16 EU, US and G7 to extend and consolidate targeted mechanisms for sanctioning individuals who are directly responsible, and companies with economic interests, including the exclusion of the Russian Federation from global decision-making processes.
3.17 EU, USA and G7 to consider adopting new economic, technological and financial sanctions with direct effects on the interests of the Russian Federation.
3.18 The development of a new mechanism of strategic dialogue between the European Union and Eastern European countries on one side, and Russian Federation on the other side, in order to decrease existing tensions and strive for creating a mechanism for dealing with instabilities and regional territorial integrity.