Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-01-Speech-3-024"
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"en.20041201.10.3-024"2
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". – Mr President, let me start by saying that I welcome the opportunity to discuss with you the situation in Ukraine after the presidential elections and the state of the relations between the EU and Ukraine. Five weeks ago I said that Ukraine was at a crossroads, with presidential elections which would determine the direction Ukraine is going during the next four years. We have all seen what happened since then. And I think that we all agree that the elections of 31 October and 21 November were not free or fair and did not live up to international standards. Javier Solana explained that message to your Foreign Affairs Committee last Wednesday. I will explain what we have done since then, how we see the current situation and what steps should be taken next.
I do not want to discuss individual persons. It is not the EU’s position to support one candidate over the other. What the EU’s position
about – and we have insisted on this from the very start – is that the process should be transparent, free and fair, so that the Ukrainian people can trust that the outcome of the elections reflects their will. Only then can we ensure that the new President is the President of all Ukrainian citizens, and not just of those from the east or from the west. That way, territorial integrity will also be maintained.
The crisis in Ukraine does not require just the EU to act. It requires an involvement from all international players, such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the US and Russia. Ukraine is not only an important neighbour of the EU, it is also probably the most important neighbour of Russia. That is why the presidency has stayed in close contact with the Russian authorities and why it was discussed at the EU-Russia Summit. We both support the Ukrainians in their search for a solution that respects the will of the Ukrainian people, ensures the territorial integrity of Ukraine and contributes in the long run to a stable, free and prosperous Ukraine under a President of all Ukrainian citizens. We should not support one candidate over another; we should support the achievement of democratic standards characterised by transparent procedures and legal recourse. In addition to an electoral process that cannot be trusted, there is another possible cause that might create a decisive rift in Ukrainian society. That is a situation where violence or force takes over from the legal, constitutional process. Therefore, together, we have put severe pressure on all involved to refrain from violence or the use of force.
The coming days will be crucial for Ukraine and for the relationship between the EU and Ukraine. With our engagement, we want Ukraine to succeed as a strategic and democratic neighbour. We want to cooperate with Ukraine in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, with shared democratic values at its base. The presidency understands the European Parliament’s hesitance to discuss the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan for Ukraine in the current situation. Like the European Parliament, the Council will reflect on its policy in the light of further developments. But I think we all want to engage Ukraine in a closer and more intense relationship. The potential is there. As a start, Ukraine has to deliver on democratic values. Therefore, in closing, I say that we should express our support to all those on both sides who are peacefully and democratically expressing their views and their political aspirations. We urge the people of Ukraine to work together with the international community to resolve the current political crisis. We have to find a solution that ensures that Ukrainians can trust that their will is reflected; a solution away from violence and the use of force, and one which guarantees that the territorial integrity of Ukraine is maintained; in short, a solution which is acceptable to all Ukrainians. Let us hope that together we can help Ukraine to do so.
The EU has not stood by and watched. Before the elections, we called on the Ukrainian authorities, through telephone calls and otherwise, to ensure the elections were free and fair. Immediately after the elections the presidency issued a declaration, on the basis of the report by the OSCE/ODIHR, expressing its concern about the election process. On the same day, Monday 22 November, the Ukrainian Ambassadors in all EU capitals were summoned to receive this message. This was, as you know, in line with the Council Conclusions.
On 24 November the presidency asked Ambassador Biegman to go as its special envoy to Kiev, where he was joined later by Javier Solana, in order to stimulate a dialogue between all parties. That day, we also expressed our regret about the fact that the Central Election Committee made the results of the elections public and declared Mr Yanukovich the winner of the elections, despite the large number of complaints about the election process. That regret concerned the procedure and the timing, not the winner or the loser.
The presidency was pleased that the Supreme Court of Ukraine on Wednesday decided to take the complaints on the election results into consideration and blocked the official confirmation and publication of the election results, thereby stopping the process of installing a new President.
Over recent days the EU has been in very close contact with the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the US and Russia, since solving the situation in Ukraine requires a concerted effort and sending a similar message to the Ukrainians. Prime Minister Balkenende, in his capacity of President of the European Council, has been working behind the scenes constantly. In his conversations with President Kuchma, Mr Lytvyn, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament, and others, he has underlined the EU’s position, including the EU’s call on all sides to show restraint and to express themselves in a non-violent manner. Foreign Minister Bot has talked to, amongst others, his US, Russian and Ukrainian counterparts.
Furthermore, High Representative Javier Solana and the personal representative of the EU Presidency ambassador, Mr Biegman, are also fully engaged in helping to solve the crisis. In fact, as we speak they are both in Kiev for a second time to try to reduce the political tensions caused by the discussion about possible autonomy and hence a possible split in Ukraine. Polish President Kwaśniewski, as chair of the Council of Europe, and Lithuanian President Adamkus are also in Kiev to contribute to finding a solution for this crisis.
We are also worried about signals that the parties would not talk to each other any more. Therefore, more recently the presidency has called on all parties to meet again as they did during the round-table talks on 26 November this year and to live up to the agreements made there. Respecting the unity of Ukraine is essential to a peaceful solution to the conflict. We have made it clear that any use of force is to be condemned and that the European Union is willing to continue to play a supportive role in the resolution of the conflict.
How do we see the way ahead in this situation of political tension and a potential further rift within the Ukrainian society? The current situation requires a political answer which fits in with Ukrainian legislation and which respects the rule of law.
Any solution should ensure that the Ukrainian electoral system regains the trust of the Ukrainian people. We have to make sure that the people trust that the outcome of the process reflects their will. Frankly speaking, I do not see how all the complaints that have been filed on the second round of elections can be solved so that the outcome of this round of elections is ultimately acceptable to all. In such a case, a new, second round of elections may be the only way out. We then have to ensure that they are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner, with a level playing field for all candidates across Ukraine. This requires sufficient international and local observers, media that can freely report on the election campaign and people who can vote truly freely, without outside pressure. This applies to the whole election process, from the start – when the candidates present themselves – to the final tallying by the Central Election Committee. It requires a situation where the most hotly contested issues, such as absentee balloting and local election observers, are addressed beforehand."@en1
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