Visit of the Permanent Representative of the UNDP in Ukraine Mr. O.Adam to Mejlis

14 September 2011

On 14 September, 2011 the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, MP of Ukraine Mustafa Jemilev received the Coordinator of the UN system, the Permanent Representative of the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine Mr. Olivier Adam.

The meeting that was held in the office of Mejlis was also attended by the Coordinator of the CIDP UNDP Adelin Gone, Human Development Adviser of the Head of the UN Office in Ukraine Gaspar Bergman, as well as the program manager of the UN Development Program in Crimea Kutmolla Abdulganiev.

Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people at the meeting was also represented by the First Deputy Chairman of Mejlis Refat Chubarov, Head of the Department of foreign relations of Mejlis Ali Khamzin and the Head of the Secretariat of Mejlis Zair Smedlyaev.

“The goal of our meeting with the leaders of Mejlis, – the Head of the UN Office in Ukraine Olivier Adams said, addressing Mr. Mustafa Jemilev – is to continue the dialogue about the further activity of the UN Development Program in Ukraine and of course in Crimea. It is a common knowledge that the UNDP that has been implementing its programs in Crimea since middle 90-es takes into consideration to the highest possible extent the requirements of the Crimean Tatar people, returning to their Homeland from the places of deportation. Naturally, we also plan to provide further assistance to the Crimean Tatar community through various projects aimed at the development of Crimea”.

In the course of discussion the parties exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues from evaluation of the effectiveness of the project that have been implemented in Crimea and the activity of the Human Dimension Council to the necessity of the adoption of additional measures, aimed at creation of the favorable conditions to broadening of the International assistance in the resettlement of Crimean Tatars and restoration of their rights.

On the request of the Head of the UNDP in Ukraine the leaders of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people characterized in details the social and political situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, making a special emphasize to non-execution by the Council of Ministers of Ukraine of its minimal obligations in the framework of the Program of the resettlement of Crimean Tatars this year. “We are approaching to the end of the year, but the financing of the Program of the return and resettlement of the deported persons still has not begun. Moreover, the State stopped financing the social programs,” – Mustafa Jemilev said.

The Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev also drew attention of the Head of the UNDP in Ukraine Mr. Olivier Adam to the recent activization of the provocative activity of so called “Cossack” organizations in Crimea. “One of the examples of such activity is the attempts to install the so called “Bending Crosses” in the public places all around Crimea, especially at the entrances and exits of the places”. In this connection we are especially concerned of the fact that today’s leaders of the Council of Ministers of Crimea indulge such destructive actions of “Cossacks”. There wasn’t such unreasonable policy in Crimea even in tsarist Russia, when the Orthodoxy was the official religion,” – Mustafa Jemilev stated.

Refat Chubarov, underscoring the significance of the social and economic programs that the UNDP and EU countries plan to realize in Crimea, stopped at the necessity of parallel solution of the political and legal issues, related to the return of the Crimean Tatar people. “Today it became evident for everyone that it is almost impossible to count on any breakthrough in this area without the participation of the international organizations,” – Refat Chubarov said, telling in details about the preparation to the International Forum on the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people to their homeland, its security and guarantees of development in Ukraine.

In his turn, the Head of the UNDP in Ukraine Mr. Olivier Adam supported the carrying out of the International Forum that to his opinion would promote the effective seeking of the solutions, aimed at restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people and development of Crimea in the whole.

At the same time, the Head of the UNDP in Ukraine Mr. Olivier Adam confirmed his participation at the coming meeting of the leaders of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people with the heads of the diplomatic representations and missions of the international organizations that will be held on October 5, 2011 in Kyiv.

In conclusion of the meeting the leaders of Mejlis expressed the Head of the UNDP in Ukraine Mr. Olivier Adam their gratitude for the special attention paying by the international organizations, belonging to the UN system, to the issues of restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people, development of Crimea and prosperity of all its residents.