Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Norway aligns with the statement of the European Union. Allow me to add five short remarks in my national capacity.
First,
We welcome ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger to the Permanent Council and thank her for her address. Norway values the ICRC as a key partner for humanitarian action and efforts to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law.
All OSCE participating States are bound by international humanitarian law and international human rights law. [In armed conflict, these obligations includes to protect the civilian population and refraining from torture and other inhumane treatment of prisoners of war and civilian detainees.] Obligations Russia continues to disregard in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Second,
We deplore reports that Ukrainian civilians continue to be unlawfully detained by the Russian Federation, including persons detained since 2014 in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and individuals forcibly transferred to places of detention in the Russian Federation. This also includes our three OSCE officials unlawfully detained by Russia for more than four years, demonstrating Russia’s disregard for the mandates of international organisations.
Third,
Young generations of Ukrainian children are indoctrinated and militarized by the Russian occupying power. Futures are stolen, identities erased, communities shattered. All in plain daylight. These are not mere accusations, but thoroughly documented violations by Russia of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including through the OSCE Moscow Mechanism.
Fourth,
International organisations, like the ICRC, play an important role in tracing missing persons, bringing them home and assisting with rehabilitation and reintegration. At the recent conference in Toronto, on the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war, co-organized by Ukraine, Canada and Norway, Norway therefore announced increased support to the ICRC and other organisations furthering this aim.
Fifth,
As long as Russia continues to deny the ICRC access to civilian detainees and prisoners of war, the organisation cannot fully carry out its mandate. Norway calls on Russia to comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, grant the ICRC full access, end the inhumane treatment of civilian detainees and prisoners of war, and release our OSCE colleagues, Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.
Norway will continue to support the ICRC and the close cooperation between the ICRC and the OSCE.
Thank you.