Delivered by Ambassador Ihor Prokopchuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, to the 1174^th meeting of the Permanent Council, 1 February 2018

Mr. Chairperson,

The delegation of Ukraine joins previous speakers in extending welcome and gratitude to Ambassadors Victoria Gonzáles Román, Kairat Sarybay and Sian MacLeod for assuming the positions of chairs of the three Committees for 2018.

We thank the chairs for presenting their plans for the work of the Committees throughout the year. We appreciate prior consultations of the chairs of the three committees with the participating States on the substance of committees’ activities. In our view, this contributes to the strengthening of the principles of ownership, participation and responsibility in our Organization. We hope that this will also help to focus our discussions in the committees on the key security challenges and threats the OSCE is currently confronted with.

Ukraine supports the Italian Chairmanship’s priorities in all three dimensions and stands ready to contribute constructively to their implementation, including through active participation in their consideration in the three Committees. 

As my delegation outlined Ukraine’s priorities in three OSCE dimensions in our statement in response to the address of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister Angelino Alfano to the Permanent Council on 17 January, I wish to highlight few of them, which have particular significance for my country. 

They include the issues of countering financing of terrorism, strengthening border and cyber security, as well as countering the phenomena of foreign terrorist fighters and other non-state actors, who use force to undermine the territorial integrity of states.

We attach particular importance to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Of grave concern are the situations of occupation, where most glaring violations take place. We should aim at strengthening the OSCE mechanisms and response to these violations to alleviate the plight of the people living under occupation. Due attention should be paid to the challenges of the internally displaced persons.

 Mr. Chairperson,

One of the pressing topics, which has a direct relevance to the work of all three committees is the means of defense against hybrid warfare, which takes multiple and sophisticated forms of state-sponsored disinformation, cyber attacks, use of force. We believe that the OSCE, with its comprehensive approach to security, is the right venue to address this serious threat to our societies and to strengthen our defenses and resilience against it.  

In conclusion, I would like to thank the distinguished Chairpersons of the three Committees, my esteemed colleagues and good friends, for their commitment and wish them success in this year’s endeavours.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.