Strong words from the Lithuanian Catholic Community in the UK. With thanks to Darius Furmonavicius: RESOLUTION ON UKRAINE WE, members of the Lithuanian Catholic Community in the United Kingdom, who assembled to celebrate Lithuanian Independence Day in the Lithuanian Catholic Centre in West Bridgford, Nottingham on 9 March 2014, strongly condemn the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity by military forces of the Russian Federation. Our meeting passed the following resolution: - Whereas Her Majestys government has been strongly committed to the sovereignty, democratic development and territorial integrity of Ukraine since the recovery of its independence in 1991; - Whereas the Ukrainian people have the right to freely determine their future, including their countrys membership in international organisations, without interference, intimidation or coercion by neighbouring countries including Russia; - Whereas closer relations with Europe hold out the prospect of a more stable and prosperous Ukraine, which would be of benefit to all neighbouring countries and Europe as a whole; - Whereas this military intervention by the Russian Federation in Crimea is a violation of Ukraines sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and international law, including the Russian Federations obligations under the United Nations Charter and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine; - Whereas by its military intervention in Ukraine, the Russian Federation has violated the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act Declaration and this represents a reckless escalation of its long-standing efforts to pressure Ukraine into reducing or weakening its links with the European Union, NATO and the West and force it instead into a closer association with Russia; - Whereas the Russian Federation has used and is continuing to use coercive economic measures, including the manipulation of energy prices and supplies, to place political pressure on Ukraine and other European countries; - Whereas the Government of Ukraine has exercised commendable restraint in response to the use of force against its people on its own territory; and - Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation refused to allow entry to Crimea for international monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe; WE call upon Her Majestys Government to: - demand the Russian Federation remove all its military forces from Ukraine and respect its territorial integrity; - expel Russia from the G8 group of leading industrial nations; - freeze the bank accounts of all Russian Federation officials, pro-Kremlin oligarchs and KGB officers, state-owned banks and commercial organisations and other state agencies; - suspend all high level economic relations with the Kremlin; and - send NATO Peacekeeping forces to Ukraine in order to halt further encroachment by the troops of the Russian Federation and facilitate their smooth and speedy withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. Steponas Vaitkevicius Chairman of the Lithuanian Catholic Community in the UK
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 08:23:22 +0000
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