The Government remains deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, and in particular the increasingly difficult situation in the east of the country. Together with our EU partners, we have emphasised the importance of a negotiated political settlement.
We strongly support the agreement reached in Geneva on 17 April between the EU, Russia, Ukraine and the US. It sets out concrete steps to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens. The EU has made it clear that all parties to the agreement must ensure that its terms are fully implemented, including by using their leverage on illegal armed groups to end all violence and provocation and hand in their arms.
Presidential elections in Ukraine are scheduled for 25 May 2014 and will be monitored by the OSCE. Ireland has already sent a member of the election observation roster maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to participate as a long term observer on the OSCE monitoring mission. As stated in previous replies to Questions on this issue, we have also undertaken to put forward a substantial number of short term observers for the mission. The OSCE requested nominations for short term observers at the start of April, with a deadline of 5 May 2014. The European External Action Service has also asked EU Member States to nominate short term election observers for the OSCE mission. On this basis all members of the election observation roster were invited to express an interest in participating as short term observers.
In line with the commitment already given, we are putting forward a total of eighteen nominees to participate as short term observers in the OSCE mission. As with all such missions, nominees were selected in line with the OSCE’s requirements for short term observers. Consideration was also given to the length of time since serving on an election mission, and all applicants were asked to confirm their availability for a second round of elections, should it prove necessary. The nominees being put forward to the OSCE are a mix of roster members with previous experience in Ukraine, roster members who have observed missions elsewhere, together with a number of new members of the roster, which came into effect last year. I expect that the OSCE will complete the approval process for nominees in the coming days. At that point, I will arrange for the full list of approved observers nominated by Ireland to be provided to the Deputy.
