From the BBC:
"Ukraine fury as Russia gets back Council of Europe voting
rights”
Ukraine's new president said he had tried to persuade French
and German leaders to hold off on allowing Russia's return Five years after Russia had its voting rights
removed because of the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, the Council of
Europe's parliamentary assembly has voted to restore them. The assembly backed
the proposal in the face of angry opposition from Ukraine, whose delegation
later walked out. Russia had threatened to abandon the 47-member human rights
body, which is not linked to the EU. Opponents say the resolution adopted in
the early hours on Tuesday at the assembly's headquarters in Strasbourg is the
first crack in international sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014. But
supporters say engagement with Russia will help tackle human rights abuses in
Russia. When the Russian delegation arrived on Tuesday, it was immediately
challenged. Sources said a number of members of the assembly objected to the
18-strong team presenting its credentials. Ukraine's delegation walked out in protest and
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, sworn in last month, said he was
disappointed by the decision, accusing "European partners" of not
listening to his concerns. He had discussed the issue with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron of France last week. Russia
captured 24 Ukrainian sailors last November, and Mr Zelensky said supporters of
a restoration of voting rights should instead be demanding "another
return". A decision on members' objections to the resolution that allows
Russia back to the assembly is expected on Wednesday, the day the council
chooses its next secretary general.
Why did Russia lose its voting rights?
When Russian forces seized Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014,
Russia's delegation was sanctioned by the Council of Europe's parliamentary
assembly and it walked out. Russian-backed separatists have also seized areas
of eastern Ukraine and are still fighting Ukrainian forces. Russia is still a
member of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, and Russians still have
access to the European Court of Human Rights, seen as a vital recourse for
citizens challenging their member state. But in 2017 Russia stopped paying its
€33m (£29m) annual contribution to the body and has recently warned it will
quit the council if it is prevented from taking part in Wednesday's vote on a
new secretary general.
Who was against the move?
In the vote, by 118 votes to 62, Ukraine failed in its move
to stop Russia's delegation being allowed back into the chamber, supported by
delegates from the UK, the Baltics and elsewhere. Critics highlighted four
names on the Russian list as being under European Union sanctions. German and French delegates largely backed
Russia's return, arguing it was better to have Russia inside the body than out,
and also because the human rights court gave Russians a destination of
"last hope". Last week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin
complained that it was "especially disgusting to watch some European partners
actually cover their attempts to assist the Russian government with concerns
about Russian civil society". The resolution was framed in a way that did
not mention Russia, focusing on members' rights to vote and speak, and not to
have their membership suspended.
^ It does seem wrong that after 5 years – with no change on
Russia’s part – the Council randomly restored Russia’s voting rights. Russia is
still in annexed Crimea and still fighting in Donbas. The Council of Europe has
47 member countries, but is really controlled by Germany and France (like the European
Union is) so whatever Merkel and Macron say is law - even before an official vote.
By this crazy decision the CoE is telling Russia and every other country in
Europe that they can invade, occupy and annex the territories of other
independent countries and nothing with really happen to them. The CoE should be
doing more to support Ukraine - which
has been fighting for it’s two territories for over 5 years while at the same
time modernizing itself into a 21st Century European country. How is
Ukraine rewarded for all their sacrifice and hard-work? By this dumb vote. ^
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