The UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, underlines the
UK’s support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity
in a statement at the UN Human Rights Council.
"The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action stressed the
importance of democracy for the enjoyment of human rights.
And it states, in the clearest terms, that democracy is
based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine
their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and
their full participation in all aspects of their lives.
Yet what we have seen last week in Ukraine sought to make a
mockery of these long-recognised principles. Putin’s sham
referenda must be seen for what they are: a desperate attempt to
justify an unprovoked and illegal land grab of sovereign
Ukrainian territory. A blatant continuation of the Kremlin’s
playbook, as seen before in Crimea in 2014. And a clear violation
of international law.
This is not democracy, nor the will of the Ukrainian people. This
is a farce – carried out with complete disregard for Ukraine’s
legal and constitutional framework, and down the barrel of a gun.
Let me be clear: the United Kingdom will never accept the regions
of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as anything other
than Ukrainian territory.
Mr President,
The principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, so
central to the UN Charter, are principles which all of us have a
responsibility to uphold. As the UN Secretary General said last
week, Putin’s decision to proceed with the annexation of these
regions has no legal value and must be condemned in the strongest
terms.
We call on the international community to join us in
unequivocally rejecting Russia’s attempts to illegally annex
Ukrainian territory, and to restore the ability of all people in
Ukraine to express their will in a free and democratic society.
Thank you."
