26 September 2017, 11:15
“Preservation of Ukraine is our core achievement,” said the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at a meeting with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Norway to Ukraine Ole T.Horpestad
A wide range of issues was discussed while meeting the ambassador. The Ukrainian politician thanked the distinguished guest for the sustained support the Kingdom of Norway was rendering to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and for consistent granting humanitarian aid to certain regions of Ukraine.
Particular stress was laid upon the security and humanitarian situation in the Donbas; the ambassador was informed of the hindered liberation process of the hostages in the occupied lands. The Presidential envoy for the peaceful settlement of the Donetsk-Luhansk clash Iryna Herashchenko underlined that just 88 from the 144 hostages held over the uncontrolled territories had been confirmed by the SRDLO’s “authorities”. She also stated the rights of Ukrainian citizens are systematically violated throughout the occupied territory. Within the past three years, there was virtually no access to the hostages, save once for the Red Cross reps, who managed then to hand them over some family parcels,” noted the First Vice-Speaker I.Herashchenko.
She then shared information during the so called “school truce” the rate of shelling was really slowing down, however there was a vast infringement of the established ‘silence regime’ by the SRDLO’s hired guns.
The President’s initiative to deploy the UN peacekeepers over the whole Donbas occupied, including the Ukraine-Russia border section was highlighted by Iryna Herashchenko. “No troopers of the aggressor-country, Russia, may be involved in the UN peacekeeping mission, as it is Russia that broke the UN security charter,” pointed out the top parliamentarian.
The Ukraine’s reforms issue was also touched upon. The past three years were said to be the years when the Ukrainian army has risen from the ashes, the people of Ukraine have been granted the visa free travel which opens Europe wide for them. Moreover, the decentralization reform is seen to be going some, allowing it to soon render lots of powers from state bodies to self-government authorities, which in turn will enable regions to solve local problems by themselves.
The Donbas de-occupation
law was also in brief presented to the Norwegian colleagues.
In turn, the Norwegian Ambassador Ole T.Horpestad delivered his assurances that the Kingdom of Norway would keep on supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.