UN member states condemn Russia's human rights abuses and its military build-up on the occupied Crimean peninsula.
Some 19 UN member states issued a joint statement following Russia’s Arria-formula meeting on Crimea held on Wednesday, March 17.
"Russia’s actions are of global concern and inconsistent with international law, including the UN Charter, and contrary to the Helsinki Final Act," reads the statement.
The UN member states strongly reject Russia’s attempted annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
"If Russia is truly interested in increasing understanding on the situation in Crimea, it would allow UN, OSCE, and Council of Europe envoys, as well as humanitarian workers, international human rights monitoring missions, and human rights non-governmental organizations, immediate and unimpeded access to Crimea," the statement adds.
The document calls on the Russian Federation to immediately end its occupation, stop human rights abuses, release all Ukrainian prisoners it unjustly holds, cease its aggressive actions in Ukraine, respect its international obligations, and implement its commitments under the Minsk agreements.
The joint statement was signed by Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Estonia, Ireland, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, the United States, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Ukraine.
