Udenrigsudvalget 2013-14
URU Alm.del Bilag 108
Offentligt
The European Affairs Committee
and
the Foreign Affairs Committee
of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia
JOINT STATEMENT
on the situation in Ukraine
The European Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeimadeeply regret and strongly condemn the violence leading to injuries and deaths ofpeople during clashes in Kiev, and extend their condolences to the families of victims.The responsible parties must be brought to justice.The Committees emphasise that the night of 18 February 2014 has been a tragedy forboth the Ukrainian people that experienced it and the Ukrainian authorities thatallowed it to happen.The Committees strongly condemn violence and call on all involved parties to ceasesuch actions immediately in order to avoid further casualties. The only possiblesolution to the crisis is a return to dialogue, which is the only means of avoidingfurther escalation of violence and an increase in the number of casualties.Taking into consideration that a meeting of the UN Security Council is taking placeon 19 February 2014 in New York, USA, as well as the gravity of the situation, theCommittees call on the UN to get involved in resolving the situation in order to endand avoid further escalation of violence resulting in more casualties in Ukraine.We urge Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs andSecurity Policy, to hold an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council to considerimposing sanctions on the Ukrainian officials responsible for the use of excessiveforce against the protesters in Kiev.The Committees call on the governments and parliaments of the EU member states tostrongly condemn the violence in Kiev and, by upholding EU values and expressingsolidarity with the Ukrainian people, to jointly decide on imposing financial sanctionsand limiting the freedom of movement of the Ukrainian officials responsible for theuse of excessive force against the protesters in Kiev.The Committees fully support the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republicof Latvia to provide medical care and cover related costs to ten injured Ukrainianprotesters, and they urge the Cabinet of Ministers to expand the scope of medicalassistance for the victims of violence in Ukraine.
