REUTERS

The diplomats recalled that on November 14, the Third Committee of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly approved the draft Resolution, co-authored by 42 countries, including Australia, Austria, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Haiti, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, the USA, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, France, Germany, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Sweden, and Japan.

Ukrainian diplomats note that "despite enormous pressure on the part of the Russian Federation", 71 states voted for the document, 25 voted against it, and 77 abstained.

It is noted that the draft resolution is a logical continuation of last year's resolution of the General Assembly No.71/205 on human rights in the occupied Crimea.

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"The decision to introduce a new document is due to the continuation of Russia’s criminal policies in the occupied Crimea. We must state that Russia has not fulfilled any provisions of the previous UNGA resolution 71/205, increasing repression against ethnic Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, and other persons who disagree with the occupation of the peninsula. Despite numerous appeals of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Russia refused to grant access to the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea to UN representatives, "the Foreign Ministry noted.

Read alsoUN adopts updated draft resolution on human rights in occupied CrimeaIn this regard, it is noted that "such assessments of the actual situation of human rights in today's Crimea are in line with the findings of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which in response to resolution 71/205 prepared and in September this year released a separate report "The situation of human rights in the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol."

In particular, according to Ukrainian diplomats, this report makes an unambiguous conclusion: "The situation of human rights in the Crimea after its occupation by the Russian Federation has significantly worsened."

"The current resolution, which was approved today [Tuesday, Nov. 14] by the UN General Assembly's Third Committee, aims to make Russia, as an occupying state, stop gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms," the foreign ministry’s statement said. Thus, the ministry stressed, the updated text of the draft resolution significantly strengthens the demands of the international community for the occupying state.

"First of all, this is about supporting Ukraine in the matter of Crimea's de-occupation. The initiative of the president announced at the 72nd meeting of the UN General Assembly on the creation of an international group of friends of Crimea will get a solid foundation with the approval of the Resolution," the Foreign Ministry said.

"Secondly, the document calls for the implementation of an interim decision (order) of the International Court of Justice in the case of Ukraine against the Russian Federation of April 19, 2017, which Russia has not yet fulfilled. We must consolidate efforts and force the Russian Federation to implement it," the diplomats added.

Read alsoUkraine seeks foreign diplomats' assistance as 157 Ukrainians still held in captivity in Donbas"Thirdly, access to the peninsula by international monitoring missions remains closed, while this issue has a direct impact on the everyday life of Crimea residents, and therefore requires an immediate solution. Constant direct international monitoring of the situation will have the effect of a deterrent and a mechanism to control whether Russia fulfills its obligations as the occupation government in accordance with international humanitarian law. The resolution is one of the elements of ensuring pressure on the Russian Federation and opening up Crimea for an international monitoring," the foreign ministry said.

"The condemnation of the illegal use of Russia’s legal system in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, including retroactively, as well as the expropriation of property; condemnation of the automatic imposition of Russian citizenship onto Crimean residents; prohibition of conscription into the ranks of the Russian armed forces, which is expressly prohibited by the international humanitarian right, are also important elements," the statement reads.

Read alsoRussia rejects 26 of 29 U.S. proposals for UN peacekeeping force in Donbas"The next step will be the consideration of the draft resolution at the plenary session of the UN General Assembly in the second half of December 2017, and most importantly - compelling the Russian Federation to fully implement it. We call on the international community to unite around common values and protect Crimean residents from the arbitrariness of the occupiers," the diplomats said.