Unanimous EU Parliament Votes on Ukraine : save Civilians, CeaseFire, Dialogue => Political Solution

 

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/(SHORTER VERSION)- EU Parliament's Plenary clearly Voted Today in Strasbourg, for the 1st time, UNANIMOUSLY, a Strong Call to "Protect Civilians", "stick to a Cease Fire" and "establish an Inclusive National Dialogue" in Ukraine for "a Political Solution".

 

These unanimous July 17th's Resolution key-points, strongly voted in the 1st working Plenary Session of the New EU Parliament at the Start of its 5 Years-long Mandate (2014-2019), should normally have an Important Influence f.ex. on the Next EU Heads of State/Government's Summit, that has just been decided for August 30 in Brussels (as "EuroFora" had warned earlier : See ...), considering also the fact that the recently Elected New EU Commission's President, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, has also stressed his wish "for a Political Solution" (and Not Military one) in Ukraine, in earlier Statements to "EuroFora", (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/junckerforpoliticalsolutioninukraine.html). 

Surprisingly, while sharply Divided on most Other issues, the New EU Parliament, as it emerged from May 2014 EU-wide Elections, succeeded to forge an unprecedented European Unity on a Core issue of elementary Human Values, obviously at stake in the Deadly, Destructive and atrocious Sufferings even of Simple and Fragile Civilian People, in the embattled South-Eastern areas of Ukraine, where Dissident, Federalist or Autonomist Populations face, since mid-April 2014, systematic Attacks, with Heavy Weapons (Tanks, Helicopters, Airplanes, Canons, "Grad" Missile' Launchers, etc), by Kiev's Military.                        

                                                                        
- In a last-minute Surprise Move, not only ChristianDemocrats of EPP and  Socialists, together with most Liberals and "Greens",.but even Leftists, Together with Rightists, "pro-European" MEPs with all sorts of "EuroSceptic" and/or so-called "AntiEuropean" MEPs,  all Together Voted, as one Person, ...606 against only 9, and 11 abstentions, (Six Hundrend Six MEPs in favour, against only Nine, and Eleven abstentioçns), to "Condemn any Targeting of Civilian Population, and Call for Strict Compliance with International Humanitarian Law" in Ukraine :

- In an unprecedented Unanimity, they all expressed "Deep Concern about the Safety of Ordinary People, who remain Trapped in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas", as well as "Deplore the Loss of Lives, and the fact that (even) Children have been registered among the Victims", before "expressing .. Heartfelt Condoleances to their Family members", and generally "Stress the Need to Protect the Civilian Population", in a last-minute Amendment at Today's EU Parliament's Resolution.

This last-minute but Key Amendment had been initially tabled by MEPs  Fleckenstein and Victor Bostinaru, of the SocialDemocrat Group, before being Extended further by an Oral Addition from ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Saryusz-Wolski, Massively Voted also not only by the Liberals and the "Greens", but even by the Conservatives, UKIP's "Freedom and Democracy" Group, together with the Leftists, as well as by the Rightists of Marie Le Pen and various other "Independent" MEPs, from "Communists" up to "Real Swedish",or "Danish", "New Right", etc., until such a Text gathered, throughout all EU Parliament, the Record-High score of 606 Votes for, against only 9...

- This was added to a Draft Joint Resolution where EU Parliament already "Condemns the ongoing Violence and Daily Loss of Lives in Eastern Ukraine, the Destruction of Homes, and Properties (including Factories, etc), and the Flight of Many Thousand Civilians from Conflict areas to Safe Havens".

+ Later was added also a call "Urging" all sides... to Fully Respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and International Human Rights Law". This concerns, right from the Start, mainly "the Ukranian Security Forces", "when conducting So-called "Anti-Terrorist" Operations", but it was later extended also  in a "Call on Rebels" "to do the Same", and not use Civilians as Human Schields", (according to a Polish MEP Saryuswolski's last minute partial addition).

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    + Even More Important : It's also with a Huge Quasi-Unanimous Majority of 564 Votes for, and only 24 Votes against, that EU Parliament"s Plenary in Strasbourg clearly adopted Today (Thursday, July 17), another Key Amendment, topically "Urging all sides to ... STICK TO A CEASEFIRE, which Needs to be Declared and Strictly Implemented, as Soon as possible".

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    ++ Of Fundamental Practical and Political Importance is also anOther last-minute Amendment, with which EU Parliament "Emphasizes ... the Importance of Establishing an Inclusive National DIALOGUE", (i.e. reminding a similar point already introduced by April 17, 2014, Geneva-Agreement on Ukraine, between the Russian, USA, German and Ukranian Foreign Ministers. This  Amendmenwas too was adopted by a strong Majority of 543 Votes for, only 69 Votes against, and 27 Abstentions.

    In addition, this adopted EU Parliament's text also "calls for a sustainable Reconciliation process", as well as it "undelines the Need for Confidence-Building between Various Communities" in Ukraine, and to "avoid Propaganda, Hate Speech and Rhetoric which mau further Aggravate the Conflict", according to this same succesful Amendment.
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        *  Last but not least, on issues of grave Human Rights' violations, the New EU Parliament also clearly confirmerd, the previous EU Parliament's  Strong call (See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReport of April 2014 : .....) for  a "thoroughly and Impartial INVESTIGATION", particularly on "All allegations of Abusive use of Force, ill-Treatment or Torture", as well as "Incidents of reported Abductions".

Indeed, by adopting also Amendment No 4, MEPs  "expresse(d) .. Firm Condemnation of the Abductions, Savage Beatings, Torture, Murders, Extra-Judicial Killings, and other Serious Abuses of Human Rights, and Breaches of Humanitarian Law, against Activists, Protesters, Journalists, and Many other Citizens .. that have occured over the last 3 Monhts", (i.e., practically during Kiev's Military Attacks on the Dissident Areas, since mid-April 2014).

    >>> This came in Addition to the main Joint Resolution, already tabled by most Groups of MEPs, and endorsed Today by all EU Parliament, which also "Calls for an independent and impartial Investigation of All the Deadly events and Crimes against Humanity, that have taken place in All parts of Ukraine ..., with the CoE", so that all "those Responsible to be brought to Justice". Because EU Parliament "is convinced that only the Effective Investigation of these Crimes will help Ukrainian society and the Families and Friends of the Victims (to) recover Trust in the institutions".

    + As a matter of General Principle, the New EU Parliament also Warned Kiev  that it's only "Provided that they Adhere to the Principles of Democracy, Respect fundamendal Freedoms, and Human and Minority Rights", that, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on EU, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - like any other European State - have a European Perspective, and (therefore) may Apply to become Members" of the Union", on that basis. If such perequisitives are fullfiled, then, naturaly, "the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine  (recently Signed) .. does Not constitute the Final Goal in their relations with the EU", since, any really "European" Country, (as Ukraine unquestionably is), notoriously Can become EU Member on the Condition to Respect Democracy and Human Rights.

    This was also clearly confirmed, recently in Strasbourg, also by the Experienced former EU Commission's President and Luxembourg's Prime Minister, as well as MEP, and currently Chairman of RTL Media, Jacques Santer, speaking with "EuroFora" precisely about Ukraine's Future possibilities.
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    => Significantly, the main 3 Landmark, last'minute Amendments on Key Issues for Ukraine, (Comp. Supra) were adopted by the New  EU Parliament with exceptionaly Strong Absolute Majorities, almost Quasi-Unanimously :  

    606 Votes against only 9 for the Protection of Civilian People, 564 Votes against only 24 in order to "Stick to a Cease-Fire", and 543 Votes against only 69 for establishing "Dialogue", (etc), i.e. so Big Numbers that they are very rare, prerhaps even unprecedented in EU Parliament's History.

    It's interesting, and of certain Political Importance, also to note the Fact that, so High Percentages of Votes, as those which succeeded to attract a Quasi-Unanimous Support throughout all EU Parliament's Political Groups for the above-mentioned 3 Key Issues, (protect Civilians, stick to a Cease-Fire, establish inclusive Dialogue), were Not achieved, in this same EU Parliament Today, not even for the Final Adoption of its overall Resolution on Ukraine, which got, certainly, a crystal-clear Strong Majority, solidly backed by 497 Votes for, against 121 and 21 abstentions, but not up to "unanimity"...

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+ More relevant points at EU Parliament's (both Draft + Adopted) Resolution :
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=> The relevant points in the "Joint" Resolution; which had been tabled by most Groups of MEPs a,nd finaly Adopted Today by all EU Parliament, meanwhile, include, among others, also, f.ex. :
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- Even if it "reiterates that the international community Supports the unity,sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine", nevertheless, it doesn't exclude explicitly a Federalisation, and, at any case, the Resolution "Underlines the Need for a Political (i.e. Not Military) Solution to the Crisis".  

 + In this regard, EU Parliament's Resolution notes from the outset the fact that, while "the Ukranian Army has regained Control of several Cities in Eastern Ukraine", after notorious Military Clashes and even Civilian casualties, nevertheless, Deadly "Violence still Continues" there.

 - Inter alia, also because, the Recently elected President Poroshenko, at Kiev, raises now "3 Conditions" for an eventual "Ceasefire", which becomes, then, clearly "Conditional" and hypothetic...

=> Thus; in order to urgently Stop Deadly Military Violence, EU Parliament's Resolution "Calls for a New Meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on the Settlement in south-eastern Ukraine, and supports New forms of Communication between the Parties", (i.e. Tele-Conferences, etc).

In this regard, the EU Resolution "Calls on the (EU) Commission's Vice-President/EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and on the European External Action Service (EEAS) to have  a Stronger presence and greater Visibility in the Dialogue mechanisms established with a view to Resolving the Crisis, including the Contact Group".

+ Moreover, "the role of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission should be Strengthened, with increased material and financial means", it adds.
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All this obviously is particularly Important, when, In addition, "Urgently Needed", "Domestic, Economicaly and Political Reforms", "should be Based on Solid Popular Support", as the Draft Resolution points out.

In particular, "it is of the utmost Importance to Start a gradual process of DeCentralising central powers to Regional and Municipal administrations".

>>> Therefore, it "Recalls the necessity of Ending the systematic and structural Curtailment of Human Rights, the Bad Governance, the widespread Corruption, and the colossal Shadow economy in Ukraine"; stresses the importance of the ongoing process of Constitutional Reform, and the importance of supporting the development of Civil society in achieving a true Participatory Democracy which promotes and protects Human rights, ensuring Justice and Good Governance for All People in all Regions of the country".  

 - But, for the moment, EU Parliament "expresses Deep Concern over the Worsening Human Rights and Humanitarian situation in Eastern Ukraine" in particular.

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 - That Text also observes the unusual "Fact that "some (EU) Member States are showing DisUnity" particularly by Refusing more Sanctions vis a vis Russia, and/or by Investing in its "South Stream" Project for New Gas Supply Routes towards the EU, (as f.ex. Bulgaria, Austria, etc), and/or by concluding Nuclear Energy Agreements with Moscow (as, f.e. Hungary, etc).

+ => Last but not least : As far as it concerns the forseable Future, "a three-party consultation meeting between the EU, Ukraine and Russia, a " useful process that may overcome long-lasting different understandings, by explaining the benefits of the AA/DCFTA and taking into account all the legitimate concerns of all parties", on the main EU Association and Free Trade issues.

Finaly, on Economy, EU Parliament's Resolution "underlines the necessity of finding a clear, fair and stable solution to ensure the security of GAS supply from Russia to Ukraine, as this is a necessary prerequisite for the economic development and stability of Ukraine; (where) the EU should continue to play its role in Facilitating an Agreement", (etc).

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+ Other Important Issues in last-minute Amendments on EU Parliament's Resolution on Ukraine :
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    + Moeover, Today, regarding  a key Geo-Political issue, which is notoriously hidden behind the Ukranian Conflict right from the Start, affecting also Humanitarian a.o. aspects of the provoked Crisis, MEPs also stressed, from the outset, by adopting another yet last-minute Amendment (No 6), that the EU - Ukraine Association Agreement, as well as the Free Trade area deal, "is in No way connected to NATO integration", ensuring Russia about one among its more serious concerns.

    On the Contrary, EU Parliament Rejected a Controversial attempt (Amendment 2) to Hinder France from implementing an earlier contract on two High-Tech "Mistral" Helicopter carrier ships, with advanced ITC systems, which had been sold to Russia  earlier, thanks to a deal brokered back on 2011 by former Presidents of France and Russia, Sarkozy and Medvedev.

    However, MEPs also Failed to adopt another Amendment (3), which denounced "a Dangerous and Irresponsible Zero-sum Game" and "clear signs of an Arms Race in the making", by expressing "Concern" for the fact that "US President" had "made Anouncements" recently about "Investing some one Billion Dollars in Armaments in Eastern Europe", at the same time that "NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen" reportedly made "statements .. regarding the Need to significantly Raise Levels of Defence Spending in NATO Countries , because of the role that Russia is playing in the Ukranian Crisis".

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    On Economy and EU's Energy supplies' security, EU Parliament also Rejected a highly Controversial Amendment (No 5) by the "Greens", which claimed that an alleged "decision of the Bulgarian Government to Halt works on the <<South Stream>> project" for transport of Gas towards the EU by Russia, while, also, at the same time, it was seeking to slam the "Austrian" and the "Hungarian Governents" , under pretext that the 1st "recently ... decided.. to further Invest to the <<South Stream>> project", while the 2nd "decided ... to sign an Agreement on Nuclear Energy with Russia", in addition to the "recent Visit of President Putin to Vienna, and the Signature of a <<South Stream>> related Contract between OMV and Gazprom".

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