The work of the 20th Autumn Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE COP) began today in Warsaw. Mr. Kyriakos Hatzigiannis MP, as the Assembly's Special Representative for Civil Society Participation, participated in a session on the implications of the war in Ukraine for the OSCE.
Mr. Hatzigiannis highlighted the tragic consequences of the war in Ukraine, both in terms of human losses and the displacement of people from their homes, and in terms of environmental degradation and the destruction of the country's economic production, while the energy and food crisis caused by the war poses a threat to international stability.
The risk of further escalation of the conflict is visible, Hatzigiannis stressed, expressing concern about threats to use nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, as well as the risk of accident or sabotage at nuclear power plants. He stressed that nuclear facilities used for political purposes should under no circumstances be instrumentalised or turned into weapons of intimidation or blackmail in the hands of parties involved in armed conflicts. Hatzigiannis, we should facilitate efforts for dialogue and an end to the conflict, in accordance with our international commitments and with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders. In parallel, he noted, while further actions should be considered in response to the violation of the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.
Hatzigiannis stressed that Cyprus, having experienced for 48 years the consequences of the invasion and continued occupation of part of its territory by Turkey, is well aware of the consequences of war. Therefore, Hatzigiannis stressed, Cyprus has an additional reason to stand by Ukraine and its people and will continue to do so, despite the significant economic and diplomatic costs for our country and despite the fact that, in the case of Cyprus, the same determination was not shown by the international community against the aggressor, i.e. Turkey. Hatzigiannis, in his capacity as Vice-Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the OSCE COE Committee on Migration, participated in a meeting of the Committee, where the implications of the conflict in Ukraine in the field of migration were discussed.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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