Mr. Chairman,

Norway shares the serious concerns expressed over the number of irregularities reported by the OSCE/ODIHR International Election Observation Mission. The findings and conclusions show that both voting rounds fell short of a number of international standards for free and fair elections.

Norway urges the Ukrainian authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure compliance with democratic principles, including by investigating the reports of fraud and reviewing the electoral process and results.

If Ukraine wants to belong to the euro-atlantic family, the authorities have to take measures which safeguard international democratic standards.

Ukrainian authorities must continue to refrain from any violent actions against the opposition. The present tense situation must be resolved without the use of force. Any violent repression of popular protests cannot but have a negative impact on the relations between Ukraine and the international community.

It is equally important that all OSCE-member states contribute to a peaceful resolution of the current crisis.

Norway attaches great importance to the Ukraine’s ambition to integrate fully into Euro-Atlantic structures. These ambitions can only be met by showing full compliance with international standards and democratic values.