The initially unilateral cease-fire declared by president Poroshenko in Ukraine has ended. Although Russia as the most important supporter of the so-called separatists announced her support for it, it was widely disregarded. Russia’s announcement did not remove doubts about her real intensions for support to the peace plan.  Separatists used the cease-fire to take over Ukrainian army bases and there are many reports of other armed incidents. In the less than clear situation in Ukraine and the ongoing information war, which further complicates understanding what is going on, one cannot be fully certain, that none of them have been instigated by forces supporting the government.The Ukrainian government has always had the undisputed right, as well as the duty to restore order in the country. Unlike president Poroshenko who was elected by the clear majority of all Ukrainians the armed separatist gangs have no mandate to speak on behalf of the Russian-speakers of the Donbas region. On the contrary it seems that their violent behaviour and intimidation tactics have reduced their already initially low support among the local population.This is not to deny that Russian-speaking Ukrainians do have legitimate concerns and expectations, which cannot be met merely by disarming the separatists. In all plans to solve the conflict, beginning with the February agreement ending the Maidan demonstrations, the accord reached in Geneva, the OSCE Road Map and Poroshenko’s peace plan, the central element has been a political solution reached through inclusive dialogue respecting the rights and powers of all minorities and regions and with a new constitution and new elections. Reforms are needed by all Ukrainians, who have never had the opportunity to live in a democracy, free of corruption and based on the rule-of-law.The direct and indirect support given to the armed separatists from Russia and the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law by the annexation of the Crimea, are to be condemned. Recognizing the mistakes and errors of judgment that Ukraine as well as the EU and other international actors have made is no justification for these. At the same time it has to be recognized that a stable and free Ukraine is ultimately also in Russia’s interest and that we should refrain from taking any action that would further complicate reaching agreement on this and implementing it. For this a renewal of the cease-fire and a firm commitment from everyone to respecting it is needed.

1.7.2014

Presidentti Poroshenkon alun perin yksipuolisesti julistama tulitauko Ukrainassa on päättynyt. Vaikka ns. separatistien tärkein tukija Venäjä ilmoitti kannattavansa tulitaukoa, sitä kuitenkin rikottiin varsin laajasti. Venäjän ilmoitus ei myöskään poistanut epäilyjä siitä, että sen todelliset toimet eivät rauhansuunnitelmaa tukeneet. Separatistit käyttivät tulitaukoa hyväkseen ottaakseen haltuunsa Ukrainan armeijan tukikohtia ja myös muista aseellisista välikohtauksista on useita raportteja. Ukrainan sekavassa tilanteessa ja sen ymmärtämistä edelleen vaikeuttavassa informaatiosodassa ei tosin ole aivan varmaa, etteivätkö hallituksen puolesta toimivat joukot olisi voineet olla syyllisiä joihinkin niistä. Ukrainan hallituksella on koko ajan ollut kiistämätön oikeus ja velvollisuuskin palauttaa maahan järjestys. Toisin kuin ukrainalaisten selvän enemmistön tuella presidentiksi valitulla Poroshenkolla, ei aseistetuilla separatistijoukkioilla ole minkäänlaista valtakirjaa esiintyä Donbasin alueen venäjänkielisen väestön nimissä. Merkit viittaavat päinvastoin siihen, että heidän väkivaltainen käytöksensä ja pelottelunsa on edelleen vähentänyt heidän alun perinkin vähäistä kannatustaan alueen väestön keskuudessa.Tämä ei tarkoita etteikö venäjänkielisillä ukrainalaisilla olisi legitiimejä huolia ja odotuksia, joihin separatistien aseistariisuminen ei vielä mitenkään vastaa. Kaikissa konfliktin ratkaisusuunnitelmissa, alkaen helmikuun Maidanin mielenosoitukset lopettaneesta sopimuksesta, Geneven sopimuksen ja ETYJ:n tiekartan kautta Poroshenkon rauhansuunnitelmaan, on keskeisellä sijalla inklusiivisen dialogin kautta aikaansaatava, kaikkien vähemmistöjen ja alueiden oikeudet ja päätäntävallan turvaava poliittinen ratkaisu perustuslakiuudistuksineen ja parlamenttivaaleineen. Uudistukset ovat tarpeen kaikille ukrainalaisille, joilla tähän asti ei ole ollut mahdollisuutta elää demokraattisessa ja korruptiosta vapaassa oikeusvaltiossa.Venäjän suora ja epäsuora tuki aseistetuille separatisteille ja Ukrainan suvereniteettia ja kansainvälistä oikeutta loukannut Krimin annektointi ovat tuomittavia. Se että perustellusti voimme osoittaa myös Ukrainan tai EU:n ja muiden kansainvälisten toimijoiden tehneen vähintään arviointivirheitä ei anna niille liioin oikeutusta. Samalla on kuitenkin muistettava, että Ukrainan vakaus ja vapaus on myös Venäjän intresseissä eikä edelleenkään tule toimia tavalla joka vaikeuttaisi tätä rakentavan laajan ratkaisun toteuttamista. Tässä tarkoituksessa tulitauon uusiminen ja vahva sitoumus sen ylläpitämiseen olisi nyt tarpeen. 1.7. 2014

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced on 23 June that Syria had delivered the last of the chemical containers in the country to the port of Latakia, Syria, from which they can be shipped for destruction. The international community has gone to much effort for this. The OPCW-UN Joint Mission has since last autumn focused on the verification and dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. The international community has succeeded in maintaining the pressure on Syria so that mission could proceed in practice. Monday’s news was therefore gratifying.There is still work to be done. The next step is to begin the full-scale destruction of the chemicals declared by Syria to the OPCW. The most hazardous chemicals are being transported to the American vessel, the Cape Ray, for destruction on the Mediterranean Sea.  In Finland, in turn, the destruction of industrial grade chemicals began around Midsummer, as the Norwegian vessel, the Taiko, brought the first chemicals to be delivered to Ekokem for destruction. The destruction will take place at the Ekokem waste treatment plant in Riihimäki, under the OPCW’s supervision.Finland has supported the OPCW-UN Joint Mission in many ways since the end of last year and has received widespread recognition for this. Finland has participated in the Danish and Norwegian maritime transport operation, which has transferred the chemicals from the port of Latakia, Syria so that they can be processed further. Finland has sent soldiers specialized in the handling of chemical materials (chemical, biological radiological and nuclear, CBRN) to assist with the maritime transport operation. The Finnish CBRN-experts have been on board to secure the safety of the maritime transport of the chemicals and to ensure the care of the personnel on board, if such a need were to arise. The protection task in the Mediterranean Sea is now coming to an end, and the most hazardous chemicals will soon be transferred to the US vessel, the Cape Ray. This is also a good indication of Nordic cooperation as part of a wider international effort, and has underscored Finland’s special expertise of CBRN issues.  A Finnish vessel protection detachment unit, for its part, participates in protecting the Cape Ray while the chemical weapons are being destroyed. This takes place in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea as part of a multinational task. The destruction will be done during the summer. The tasks of the Finnish vessel protection detachment unit, operating on board a German vessel, include identification and intelligence tasks as well as possible ship inspections.The work in Syria is not completed with the ending of the chemical transports and the beginning of the chemical destruction. The OPCW continues to investigate the chlorine attacks that have occurred in Syria. In addition, discussions concerning the coverage of Syria’s declaration and the destruction of production facilities are unfinished. Weapons of mass destruction are a wider threat in the Middle East.Bringing the transportation of chemical weapons out of Syria to an end is unfortunately the only good news obtained recently from Syria and its neighbouring countries. The warfare in Syria has already spread to Iraq, the number of refugees and the need for humanitarian assistance have increased continually, nor is there an end in sight to the fighting. UN-led peace efforts must continue to be supported, and all parties directly or indirectly involved in the conflict must be pressured to hold negotiations, as there is no solution based on war.

26.6. 2014