Included in the Delegation, led by the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleh Bilorus, were People´s Deputies, Lev Biriuk, Pavlo Zhebrivsky, Mykhailo Syrota, Olexander Stoyan, Serhiy Shevchuk, and Serhiy Larin.
The task put before the Winter Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was consideration of the progress on the implementation of the Declaration adopted at the Assembly sitting at Kyiv last year.
The People´s Deputies, Oleh Bilorus, Olexander Stoyan and Serhiy Shevchuk, addressed the Session on the situation in Serbia, the Agreement on ordinary armed forces in Europe, issues surrounding the Kosovo status, election observations, and provision of equal gender opportunities.
Oleh Bilorus, leader of The Ukrainian Parliament Delegation, spoke on the defining of the future status of Kosovo.
He said: ‘In recent days we were witnesses to dramatic events surrounding Serbia and Kosovo, bringing us to the conclusion that the situation there has entered a new qualitative stage´. It will, in his opinion, affect overall security in Europe. ‘It is important for us MPs, to hold a detailed discussion to estimate and define the situation in this region, so that we may direct further activities towards resolving these problems,´ stressed Oleh Bilorus. He also noted that ‘until recently, many of us expected that an agreement would be reached through the support and mediation of the existing International mechanisms. Unfortunately, these mechanisms have proved inefficient´.
Oleh Bilorus confirmed Ukraine´s consistent vision of achieving a stable political and economic situation in Kosovo, based on Resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, and in particular Resolution 1244 (1999), and on the Helsinki Final Act, as well as the principles of International Law.
The Leader of the Delegation considered this situation a good opportunity to recall the major role of the UN Security Council in Kosovo, as recently highlighted by The President of Ukraine: ‘No other multilateral bodies or unilateral decisions can replace the authorities of the Security Council, other than by denying the established International law principles. This decision is of strategic significance to the Security Council in taking a clear-cut, global and durable decision which will form a basis for voting at the UN General Assembly.´
Oleh Bilorus emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, and diverting all risks of violence and destabilization in the region of Kosovo at this decisive stage. He said: ‘We are calling for all those involved in this process to guarantee a peaceful development in the situation, and to use diplomatic instruments in dealing with matters, discussions and potential ( together with those unfortunately occurring of late) incidents. My country will uphold any such efforts. We should acknowledge that a clear European programme and economic integration is a powerful stabilizing and consolidating factor.´
On behalf of the Ukrainian Delegation, Oleh Bilorus once again repeated the position advocating the sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability of frontiers between OSCE member countries. ‘Our own security and progress , as well as the security and stability of our allies, and the International community as a whole, are critically dependent on these fundamental values.´