Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Yuriy Serheyev has said he was saddened by the fact that Russia's envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin sees as a provocation the statements that the Crimean Tatar population in Crimea is afraid of a new genocide.
“There is no point in making any comments, because our Russian colleagues in any case will stand by their position and will represent the situation in the way they wish it to be seen. So this is the virtual reality, which our Russian colleagues are demonstrating, when all say one thing, but they live in their own world. Whether you, Vitaly Ivanovich, want it or not, but you will have to participate in the discussion of the Crimean issue, because this is a Ukrainian territory, which is temporarily occupied. Until it is returned to us, we will discuss it,” he said at a UN Security Council meeting early on Thursday after Churkin’s reaction regarding the Crimean Tatars.
Serheyev also expressed regret that Churkin and his colleagues had not attended a UN Security Council meeting with representatives of the Crimean delegation headed by former Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Mustafa Jemilev.
“And he said what I said, reiterating his position, but you called it a lie and a provocation. Well, the Crimean Tatars will hear this that you think that it’s a lie and a provocation [concerning fears of a new genocide against the Crimean Tatars],” he added.
He described remarks by Churkin as manipulation and “distortion in a style that is already known.”
Churkin said earlier at the meeting that claims that the Crimean Tatar population in Crimea is afraid of a new genocide are a provocation.
“Allegations by the Ukrainian colleagues that the Crimean Tatar population believes that there will be the third act of genocide against them are a lie and a provocation,” he said, adding that the new Crimean constitution declares the official status of the Crimean Tatar language and assigns official positions for the Crimean Tatar community.
