Pavlo Klimkin: Worsening of the situation in protection of the rights of national minorities in Crimea is unacceptable

On September 16, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin met with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors.

During the meeting the interlocutors expressed concern about deterioration of the rights of national minorities as a result of aggression of the Russian Federation against our state and the illegal occupation of the Crimean Peninsula.

The parties emphasized that monitoring by the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner of the situation in the territory of Ukraine, in particular in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and the appropriate response to any threats to the rights of national minorities were viewed as top priority for both sides.

"Worsening of the situation in the sphere of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of national minorities in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is unacceptable. There observed numerous violations of the rights of ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars living on the Peninsula. Responsibility for the violation of the determined by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine rights and freedoms of a person and citizen in the temporarily occupied territory lays with the Russian Federation," said Pavlo Klimkin.