Several countries confirmed their participation in Crimean Platform at the highest level - Foreign Ministry
To date, several countries have confirmed their participation in the Crimean Platform summit at the highest level.
First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Japarova announced this, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"We've decided not to announce countries that have already agreed to attend the founding summit, as Russia has declared that it is a threat to its territorial integrity and security. Therefore, not to build up Russia's emotions, we've decided not to make this information public. Charles Michel has publicly announced that he'll come and support this initiative. This is the only thing we can say yet. But several countries have already agreed to participate at the highest level, so we're actively preparing for the summit on August 23," Japarova said.
According to her, the summit will have several components, preliminary, the scenario involves an official part, during which the President of Ukraine, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada, the Prime Minister, and the heads of delegations will speak.
"We're planning thematic expert discussions, as well as public diplomacy events, closely related to Crimea. There will definitely be a speech by the leader of the Crimean Tatar people. It's very important because there's a disproportionate track of persecution of Crimean Tatars for many reasons, and history. The only bone in the throat for Russia in Crimea is the Crimean Tatar people through their self-government bodies, their powerful system of organizations, fixed since the times of the Soviet Union," the deputy minister said.
Japarova noted that a final document was also planned to be adopted during the summit.
"We're in the process of negotiations with our partners, this is joint work. Because each country, before deciding whether to join the document or not, must walk through it and understand that it doesn't contradict its vision.
We're now working together to create a document that will be based on important principles of international law so that it doesn't contradict the policies of other states. Now communication is in a very active phase and we'll finalize it shortly," she added.
According to her, this document should confirm support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, formally establish the Crimean Platform, and define the basic principles of the international strategy for the de-occupation of Crimea.
"I'd also like to note that we work in different areas to raise the analytical capabilities of our experts on the following priorities: environment, economy, security, militarization, international humanitarian law, human rights, Crimean Tatars, as identity, as a people. These are several priorities, already being prepared in a focused way and will be finished in the next year after the summit," she said.
Japarova explained that the Foreign Ministry was inviting the top leaders of the countries to take part in the summit.
"We need to hold this event offline because there's a pandemic, there's still a travel ban, not everyone is ready to come. For some countries, it's still relevant because of the lack of access to vaccines or the risks that physical travel can carry. But we're working with the fact that it's an offline summit and that the level of representation of the countries is the highest," the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine stated.
Japarova clarified that the summit of heads of state and governments was a significant event and would not be annual.
During the Summit, the activities of the platform will be formally established, then its activities will take place both at the official level (heads of states and governments, foreign ministers, parliaments) and at the expert level.
"Our goal is to ensure synergy at these levels and between them, form an international coalition for the de-occupation of Crimea, and create an appropriate international strategy.
Specific measures at the national and international levels will be aimed at achieving this goal, to which we'll move in the following priority areas: non-recognition policy; security, including freedom of navigation; application of restrictive measures; protection of human rights and international humanitarian law; the economic and environmental impact of the occupation," she said.
Japarova also spoke about plans to establish an annual Forum on Security of the Azov-Black Sea and Mediterranean regions within the framework of the Crimean Platform.
"This year the Forum will take place in the fall, and preparations for its holding have already begun," the deputy minister stressed.
