MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, Special Representative for the Participation of Civil Society in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).He participated yesterday as a keynote speaker in a teleconference on the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences.
Mr. Hatzigiannis stressed that the war in Ukraine is a clear violation of international law and the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and that attempts to change international borders and the violation of human rights cannot be accepted.
At the same time, Hatzigiannis said, the OSCE has unfortunately failed to prevent the war between two of its participating States and has so far been unable to contribute to ending the hostilities that have been going on for a month. The Cypriot MP called on the OSCE to continue to make every possible effort, playing a mediating role and encouraging dialogue between the two sides, in cooperation with other international organisations, to end the conflict which threatens not only regional but also global security.
Hatzigiannis stressed that the humanitarian consequences of the conflict must be addressed as a priority. He stressed the need for an immediate end to hostilities in order to allow the release of prisoners, the return of displaced persons to their homes, the investigation of the fate of missing persons and the reopening of education and health systems. OSCE, in cooperation with the National Parliaments, should complement the actions of the Governments and the OSCE executive structures, in order to contribute to the dialogue, he concluded.
(MB/EXP)
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