Ukraine's Poroshenko +PACE Chair Kyriakides (Cyprus): No Credentials+No Dialogue during Occupation ?

 

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Despite the Kind Words between them, when Hard Facts were discussd with MEPs, the exchanges between Ukranian President Petro Poroschenko and CoE Assembly's (PACE) New President Stella Kyriakides, ChristianDemocrar/EPP MEP from Cyprus, took a Syrrealistic look, when it came to the obvious Question on What Progress was made for Peace between his 1st Official Visit to Strasbourg, back on June 2014, which had raised many Hopes (See, f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coevenicecommissiononukranianpresidentreforms.html , http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeandpoliticaldialogueinukraine.html , etc), and Today, on October 2017, with a quite more "Gray" situation, even if a Partial Implementation of the 2015 Minsk Agreements, seems to have been, meanwhile, a main cause for having avoided an escalation, in a still very Delicate situation, and a "Bumpy" but evolving Internal Reforms' process is on its way :

 - Indeed, "at the time of your visit in 2014, Ukraine found itself in a profound Crisis, with a huge strain on the Ukrainian People and the Stability of the European continent. We hoped that the Next time you came we could celebrate the End of the crisis, But that is Unfortunately Not the case". However, "You came to us, at that time, with a strong Message : that it is only through Peaceful Dialogue that the conflict in Ukraine can be reSolved", reminded PACE's President.

 - "We (PACE) welcomed your approach and made it clear that the Assembly would keep Ukraine high on its Agenda. As you know, we have firmly supported and continue to support Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty", as well as, "addressed in various Resolutions some of the most urgent Political and Humanitarian consequences of the conflict". + In Parallel, "at the same time, we have also insisted on the need to advance the Internal Reform agenda".

 - "Even if the Status of parts of Ukraine Not under the Government’s Control canNot be reSolved at This Moment", as noted Kyriakides, (Despite the fact that, as Poroshenko said Later, "several million people, ... now live in a Disastrous Humanitarian condition, ...level of Unemployment, ...conditions for the elderly, ...Limited access for children to Education", but "Poverty", in the pro-Autonomy Regions of Donetsk/Luhansk, which didN't yet got a Legal Status promised by Misk Agreement), the Ukranian President has "put in place" an "Ambitious Reform Agenda", where some "Progress" was "Achieved", on a "Positive Path".

- "Encouraging" him to "Devote even Greated Energy" also on "Other Urgent Reforms", such as "DeCentralisation" (Comp. Supra), "Fight against Corruption", and "Education", etc., she evoked also the fothcoming "Recommendations ...from the Assembly Tomorrow (Thursday) following the urgent Debate on the new Ukrainian Law on Education, (i.e., particularly, Minority Languages : Hungarian, Polish, Russian, etc).

=> Thus, "We (PACE's MEPs) Now look forward to hearing Your (2017) Message to us", she invited.

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 - Poroshenko, after "Congratulating" her for the "Election" as CoE Assembly's President, said that he was "Glad that this Event has practically Coincided with (his) Visit", because it's a rare, but "Timely", "Symbolic Juncture" :

- Particularly, as far as it concerns "protecting the Principles upon which this (CoE's) Assembly is founded", about which, "there is No place for Compromise",  "especially with those who, by all means", damage the "Values ... upon which we build our Cooperation", as he Criticized from the outset.

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CREDENTIALS
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=> - In particular, CoE's PanEuropean "Assembly, rightly reserved the right Not to renew the Credentials of the Russian Delegation, if Russia Continues its (Military) Occupation", Poroshenko pointed out, in his main Speech, at his own initiative, from the outset.

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POLITICAL PROCESS
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+ Moreover, Replying, afterwards, to MEPs' Questions, he also stressed that "what is Standing in the Way of a Political Solution", (as German MEP Barnett asked, on behalf of the Socialist Group), is the still unfullfiled "WithDrawal of all the Foreign Troops, including Russian Troops", from the Occupied Territory", as he called it :

 - "Can you Imagine any Political Process taking place when we have Occupying Troops in the Donbass ? Can you Imagine any Election meeting ...Democratic Standards Under the Occupation ...?", Poroshenko wondered, as he sees things, particularly in the pro-Autonomist Donetsk/Luhansk Regions.

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REFERENDUM
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+ As for a Suggestion, by British MEP Miss Gilland, on behalf of the Conservatives, to hold a New "Referendum in Crimea, with three choices : to Stay with Ukraine, to stay with Russia, or to be semi-Independent, under UN supervision", Poroshenko replied that he was "Ready to Accept Anything which is Adequate for the Ukranian Constitution".

 - "But, Before we Talk about Anything (sic), Crimea should be Returned to Ukranian Sovereignity", he asked. Since, Otherwise, "it will be Impossible, because it is under Occupation". F.ex., "Can you Imagine a Referendum in the Czech SudetenLand in 1938 ? This is the Same", he claimed : "It is Impossible to hold a Referendum under the Barrels of Russian Tanks. I would Not be a Referendum, and would have Nothing to do with Democracy", as Porosenko presented things.

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DIALOGUE :
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+ The "Hottest" came, however, at the Conclusion : Dutch Senator Cox, on behalf of the Leftist Group, observed that "in 2014", the Ukranian President "said to this (CoE's) Assembly that the Only way out of the crisis in Ukraine was via Peaceful Dialogue". But, "it is Now October 2017 and still the peaceful Dialogue with the Citizens in the East of your country (still) Has to Start", he observed Critically.

 - "You put the Blame on the Russian Federation, and they bear a huge responsibility, but Where is Your Responsibility to finally do what you Promised : to Start a peaceful Dialogue with the (Dissident) Citizens of your country, (i.e. the pro-Autonomy Donetsk/Luhansk Regions), to find an end to this horrible crisis ?", Cox asked.  

>>> - "Can you imagine Any Dialogue with the Occupied Territory (of pro-Autonomy Regions of Donetsk/Luhansk) ? "The only Pre-Condition for that Dialogue is the Withdrawal of Russian Troops", sharply replied Poroshenko...

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 - "Thanking" the Ukranian President for "UpDating ... on the ... (Internal) Reforms", and for the "very Important" "Views" he expressed "on the Way forward for a Peaceful Settlement of the conflict in Donbass", PACE's new President resumed that, "For there to be Peace, stability and respect for Human Rights, Violence and Fighting must Stop. It is, therefore, very important to ensure Full implementation of the Minsk Agreement", Kyriakides briefly Concluded, (as expected, pointing at a Series of reciprocal Moves, that Both Sides have Not really made yet, according to an approximative Time-Table, which needs re-visiting : Comp. http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/fulltextsofallukraineagreements.html ).

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... and TURKEY ?...
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 One thing is certain : - If Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan read these exchanges, he would probably wish that the new PACE President would better inspire Poroshenko, more than he might have inspired her, (a Cyprus'  MEP) ...

Why ? Simply Because

(taken in the Order that all these Points were presented earlier, as really evoked):  

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- Cyprus does Not ask from CoE's Assembly to Refuse the ReNewal of "Credentials" to the "Turkish Delegation", "if Ankara Continues its (Military) Occupation" at the Northern part of the Island, (Contrary to what had just Asked the Ukranian President against Russian MEPs, (Comp. Supra).

And that, Even if Turkey's Military Invasion and Ocupation of Cyprus has been, and still is, Obvious and Undeniable, (as well as Denounced several times by UN Security Council's Resolutions, as well as EU Parliament's and COE's early Resolutions who have Asked for Ankara's Troops' Withdrawal. While, on the Contrary, Poroshenko's claims about alleged Russian Troops in the Donbass, are firmly Contested by Moscow, and Not Obvious, (except, perhaps, from some Private Individual "Volunteers", from various Countries, and/or "Humanitarian" Aid from Russia, etc).

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- Cyprus Never said that "Any Political (Peace) Process" for a Solution to the problem in the island, would be Impossible, as long as Turkish "Occupying Troops" still are at the Norhern Part of the Country, as Poroshenko just did, as far as "Donbass" region is concerned, and alleged Russian troops, (Comp. Supra).

On the Contrary, Cyprus' Government has been notoriously holding Peace Talks, under UN Auspices, in order to Find a Political Solution for the ReUnification of the Island, Both with representatives of the Turkish Cyprits pushed by Ankara to gather at the Territories obviously Invaded and Occupied by Turkey's Army at the Northern Part of the Island (since 1974), and, Recently, with Ankara's Government itself, (at a Multilateral "Conference" which opened at nearby Switzerland from 2016-2017).

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- Cyprus Never said offiially that it would be "Impossible to hold a Referendum" in the Territories of the Island which are "Under Occupation" by the Turkish "tanks", etc., Contrary to what Poroshenko just said, concerning Crimea (comp. supra). In fact, UNO's Peace Talks on Cyprus routinely foresaw Referenda also in the Occupied Territories controlled by Ankara's Military, (whenever a Political Deal might have been reached by representatives to UN-sponsored Talks).

Therefore, Cyprus Never Asked for the Occupied Territories to be, "Before we Talk about Anything", "Returned to [Cyprus'] Sovereignity", Contrary to the Ukranian President's claim (Comp. Supra).

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 Cyprus Never put as "PreCondition" to "Any Dialogue" (with "the Occupied Territory"), the previous "Withdrawal of [Turkish] Troops" from Ankara, which have Obviously Invaded and are still Occupying the Northern Part of the Island.

Contrary to what Poroshenko just asked, in relation to what he Finds to be "Russian Troops" in the Donbass, as he claimed, (Comp. Supra).

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Naturally, each Sovereign Country is, in principle, Free (under its own Responsibility) to Ask Whatever it Wants, for the "Credentials" of Other Countries' Delegations at the PACE, in order to participate at a "Peaceful Political Process", for "Referenda" in one or another Territory, and/or for "Dialogue", etc.

But these Crystal-clear Differences, had to be presented, in order to Avoid any Risk of Confusion, and for Mutual Reflexions in the foreseeable Future.

As well as in order to Dissipate any eventual Double Standards.

But, notoriously, a recent visit of Erdogan to Kiev, earlier this Month, didn't help at all to keep always Awake and alert an Open Eye on delicate Facts...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

(../..)

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