Strasbourg, 16/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - The spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has described the arrival of a second Russian humanitarian convoy on Ukrainian soil - which arrived without the consent of the Ukrainian authorities - as “illegal” and “in breach of Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty”.
Ashton's spokesperson does not believe that the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law were observed with the arrival of this second Russian convoy. According to Russian television channel Rossia 24, the convoy of over 300 lorries reportedly delivered 2,000 tonnes of food, medicines, warm clothing and fuel to the separatist regions in South-East Ukraine.
Elsewhere, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko submitted two draft laws to the Ukrainian Parliament (the Rada) on Tuesday 16 September. One focuses on a special status for certain districts in the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk - including the establishment of a provisional autonomous government. The other introduces a conditional amnesty for participants in the events of Donetsk and Lugansk. These draft laws were planned by the provisional peace plan defined on 5 September. Local elections in these districts are also proposed for 7 December. Ashton's spokesperson, Maja Kocijancic, underlined that the issues covered by these draft laws were part of a peace plan and a ceasefire. “We support the full implementation of the ceasefire and the peace plan”, she said, stating that she was awaiting further information before commenting at greater length on these initiatives. (CG)