Security Council holds 'urgent' meeting on situation in Ukraine
March 1, 2014: The United Nations Security Council held Friday afternoon, what its
President described as an “urgent” meeting on the situation in Ukraine, with the body's
members noting that it is important for all political actors in the strife-torn country
to exercise maximum restraint and pursue inclusive dialogue.
“The Security
Council…reviewed with concern the recent developments in Ukraine,” said Raimonda Murmokaité,
Permanent Representative of Lithuania, which holds the rotating presidency of the
15-nation body for February. The Council held closed-door consultations at the request
of the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, which appealed in a letter earlier
today to the Council President for an urgent meeting “due to the deterioration of
the situation in the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea, Ukraine, which threatens the
territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
On Saturday, 22 February, Members of the
Parliament of Ukraine – which had been witnessing mass protests since last November
– voted to remove President Viktor Yanukovych, and an arrest warrant has reportedly
been issued for his arrest. The move came after more than 100 people were killed last
week in the latest wave of deadly clashes in the capital, Kiev. Speaking to the press
after the consultations, Ambassador Murmokaité said the Council had been briefed by
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco.
“Support
was expressed for the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The
Council agreed that it was important that all political actors in Ukraine exercise
maximum restraint and called for an inclusive dialogue recognizing the diversity of
the Ukrainian society,” said the Council President. Amid the rapidly unfolding events
in Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for an inclusive political
process to enable the country to emerge from the crisis, one which reflects the aspirations
of its people and preserves its unity and territorial integrity.
“He reiterates
his call for non-violence and urges all Ukrainians to express their differences peacefully
and through dialogue, and to seek a durable solution through compromise,” Mr. Ban's
spokesperson said in a statement issued in New York earlier this week. In addition,
this past Tuesday, the Secretary-General dispatched Robert Serry to Kiev as his Senior
Advisor to assure all citizens of Ukraine of the UN's support and also convey that
he expects all key international actors to work collaboratively to help the country
during the crisis.
Mr. Serry has held meetings with, among others, the new
Speaker of Parliament, the Vice Prime Minister, the acting Minister of Finance, and
the acting Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the situation and concerted
efforts to bring about a stable and prosperous future. (Source: UN)