Madam President,

At the outset, I would like to thank you for convening this Open Debate allowing us to keep due track of the current situation in the Middle East and to facilitate seeking ways for settlement conflicts or tensions in the region.

While Ukraine has aligned itself with the statement of the European Union, I would like to add a few words in national capacity.

Ukraine is committed to a balanced and impartial position on the Middle East issue, willing to develop stable and constructive relations with both Israel and ArabStates.

We consistently support the Middle East peace process and believe that peace in the region can be achieved only if the viable mutual concessions are at the negotiating table.

Recalling recent tendencies aimed to solve the conflict, such as another round of peace talks, we cannot ignore the fact that the significant progress in the settlement of the situation in the Middle East has still not been reached. On the contrary, the recent events testify escalation of tensions between the sides which does not contribute to finding a way out of the “political deadlock”.

My country’s policy is based on the official recognition of the right of the Palestinian people for self-determination and its aspirations to create an independent Palestinian state. At the same time, the proclamation of the Palestinian state should become an outcome of the Palestinian-Israeli peace settlement.

In this respect, we fully support US-led peace efforts as well as respective UN initiatives and hope they will result in comprehensive agreement between parties to the conflict.  Thus, we call on political leaders from all sides to work together through visible actions to de-escalate the situation.

We believe that direct negotiations between the parties is the only way to peaceful solution, and any unilateral steps will not solve the key problems of the peace settlement.

Ukraine is convinced that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be solved only on the basis of the two state solution. 

We reiterate our position that Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement lies within the framework of the unconditional fulfillment by the parties to the conflict of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the Madrid principles including land for peace, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties and of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

Madam President,

As regards the situation in Syria, Ukraine reaffirms its commitment to the universal principles and basic norms of international law, in particular: strict observance of human rights, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and state sovereignty.

Ukraine strongly condemns the ongoing violence and systematic human rights violations in Syria perpetrated in particular by the Regime and terrorist groups. Indiscriminate and excessive use of force by the Army against civilian population as well as intolerable violence by ISIL and other terrorist groups operating on the ground contribute to the considerable human sufferings in Syria.

In this respect, we reiterate our full support to the mission of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria and other international initiatives brokered by international organizations (UN, Arab League, OPCW) aimed at strategic de-escalation on the basis of the Geneva communiqué of 30 June 2012, including inclusive political transition.

We continue to stand for an immediate end to the bloodshed and call on to maximize the use of political and diplomatic means to resolve the conflict in line with respective UNSC Resolutions in order to maintain the country's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Madam President,

Ukraine remains deeply concerned about activities of ISIL and other associated terrorist entities in the Middle East. The negative impact of their presence in the region, violent extremist ideology, and destabilizing actions must not be tolerated and should be duly addressed by the international community.

We strongly condemn the crimes and acts of mass violence that ISIL commits against civilians, including the most vulnerable minorities, which may amount to crimes against humanity.

While fighting against foreign backed terrorists on its soil and facing direct foreign aggression, Ukraine shares the view that activity of such terrorist groups as well as their violent ideology constitutes a threat not only to the Middle East region, but also to the international community.

 We support all efforts aimed at the decisive fight against terrorism regardless of where and in what form it takes place.

I thank you.