Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, as this is the first time the Delegation of Ukraine is having the floor, allow me to congratulate you and other Bureau Members on your election. I pledge my Delegation’s full support and cooperation to all your efforts towards successful outcome of the current session of the Sixth Committee.

While aligning itself with the statement of the European Union, the Delegation of Ukraine also would like to speak on this important topic from its national perspective.

Mr. Chairman,

Terrorism remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Almost every day we learn with the deep sorrow of the new victims of terrorist attacks which occur in all the corners of the world. This world's evil can be eliminated only through consolidated and decisive measures taken by international community.

On behalf of the Delegation of Ukraine I would like to reiterate our firm condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of its motivations and objectives. Ukraine reaffirms its strong commitment to fight terrorism in close cooperation with our international partners.

We support central role of the United Nations in the global effort to suppress international terrorism as well as in promoting international cooperation in this field. The Global Counterterrorism Strategy continues to be central to address the evolving trends of the terrorist phenomena, and to do so in an integrated and balanced way.

We took note of the Secretary General's Report on measures to eliminate international terrorism (document A/69/209). As a party to all UN Conventions and Protocols on counterterrorism, the Delegation of Ukraine calls upon all member states who haven’t done so, to consider becoming parties to the aforementioned international instruments.

Ukraine is a party to about 20 multilateral conventions and protocols in the field of counter-terrorism. Ukrainian Government is actively involved in counter-terrorism cooperation with many international and regional organizations, including United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, and Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), as well as Organization for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM.

Nuclear terrorism, as well as proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security. I am proud to say that my country plays one of the leading roles in preventing nuclear terrorism. Furthering its longstanding goals in nuclear nonproliferation, Ukraine has responsibly implemented its pledge to get rid of all national stocks of highly enriched uranium. The meaning of this voluntary step is clear – Ukraine is a consistent and reliable partner who makes valuable contribution to combating nuclear terrorism as well as strengthening the entire system of nuclear safety and security. And this is despite the fact of the foreign aggression that my country has been experiencing.

Mr. Chairman,

Unfortunately, since recently, the problem of terrorism has become pertaining to my country. As you might know, the Government of Ukraine has been conducting counterterrorism operation in the east of Ukraine since the last March. It's incredible to believe: terrorism appeared in the country where the terrorist threat was assessed by UN experts as low just a few months before the occupation of Crimea and the establishment of the terrorist organizations DPR and LPR. As it turned out, foreign factors might encourage this evil to grow rapidly.

The situation in the world in general and in my country in particular demonstrates that the international community must redouble its efforts in the fight against terror.

One of the most important tasks is the completion of our work over the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. We consider that the 2007 proposals might be a good basis for consensus among all delegations. We call upon all member states to intensify their efforts aimed at finalizing the negotiation process during the current session of the Committee.

The delegation of Ukraine is extremely concerned with the facts of the blatant violation of international counterterrorism treaties by some states. One of the neighbors of Ukraine continues to break its international obligations. In particular, it completely neglects its obligations under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism of 1999 and the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings of 1997. Moreover, this state, acting through various state institutions, physical and legal entities under its direct control, sponsors terrorism in my country. It was the unlawful actions of this neighbor that had led to the occupation of the Crimea and destabilization in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine.

As it is evident in the situation with Ukraine, terrorism can be used as a hidden aggression against sovereign states. We call upon the international community to continue to take decisive action to combat the state- or state-sponsored terrorism against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of independent states. We believe that some of the principles of the Declaration of the International Conference on Terrorism of 1987 (document A / 42/307) reflecting the essence of the notion of state terrorism might be taken as a basis for the preparation of a new legally binding instrument in this field.

Mr. Chairman,

Taking this opportunity I would like to urge the Russian Federation to immediately take all the feasible measures to prevent the acts which might constitute a crime within the meaning of relevant counterterrorism conventions, including the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 1999. We hope that the information about the facts of violation of international counterterrorism law sent by the Government of Ukraine to the Russian Foreign Ministry on a regular basis, will finally receive due attention and consideration by the Russian Government and we will be able to start sincere and productive bilateral dialogue in this regard in the nearest future.

Mr. Chairman,

Without the bona fide fulfillment of international treaties and sincere cooperation by all states parties any international efforts in the area of counterterrorism, including the efforts of this Committee, will remain vain.

On our part, I would like to underline that Ukraine will continue to be committed to cooperation at international, regional and sub-regional levels in order to make world-wide environment completely intolerable towards terrorism and its supporters.  

I thank you for your attention.