On Wednesday, December 3, a meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers took place, during which a number of countries once again condemned the actions of the Russian Federation in the occupied Crimea. The international community stressed that the Russian aggression in the Donbas and the annexation of the peninsula remain the most serious violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity within the OSCE.
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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said at the opening of the meeting that the conflict in Ukraine would be the main priority of the presidency.
“We must not forget that the occupation of Crimea and the intervention in the Donbas continues. This conflict is in an active phase. Spain has always adhered to the position of supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within the internationally recognized borders”,- said Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stressed that human rights violations in Crimea and the situation of the Crimean Tatars remain a source of concern. Turkey's position on the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea, remains unchanged.
US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Bigan added that Ukraine should remain at the center of the agenda, as Russia's actions in Ukraine and elsewhere are a serious disregard for international law and fundamental OSCE principles, which has led to a deterioration of European security on the continent.
“Russia is making every effort to stop any criticism of its occupation with cruel and condemning tactics. I was worried when I heard the story of Server Mustafayev, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison in November for his activity in covering the plight of other Crimean political prisoners”,- said the acting Assistant Secretary of State Philip Ricker.
He stressed that Mustafayev is only one of more than 90 Ukrainians whom Russia unjustly imprisoned for peaceful disagreement, and one of the hundreds of thousands of people who suffered the consequences of the occupation.