Sep 10, 2012

Crimean Tatars: Preparatory Meeting For Forum On Rights Restoration


Experts from the OSCE along with officials from the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People met in The Hague to discuss the upcoming forum on restoration of the Crimean Tatar People’s rights.

Below is an article published by Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People:

The OSCE experts are preparing the research and recommendations for the participants of the coming International Forum on restoration of the Crimean Tatar people’s rights

On September 6, 2012 the meeting was held in the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (the Hague, Netherlands) in the framework of the preparation to the International Forum on restoration of rights of the Crimean Tatar people in its Homeland, enduring its safety and guarantees for the development in Ukraine, attended by the experts, invited by the OSCE High Commissioner to make the research and prepare the recommendations for the participants of the coming forum.

The meeting of the experts was also attended by the First Vice Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov and the Director General of the Charitable Organization “Foundation for the Development of Crimea” Alexei Skorik.

The Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National MinoritiesMs Ilze Brands Kehris addressed the participants of the meeting with an opening speech.

After that the participants of the meeting heard reports, including the one of Refat Chubarov about the challenges and risks of the preparation to the International forum and started discussing the issues, relating to the research and recommendations that should be prepared by the experts before 2013. At this, it was noted that all the research work should be resulted in the particular recommendations for the participants of the coming International forum.

The meeting was attended by Ms Ilze Brands Kehris – the Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Alexander Vinnikov – adviser of the OSCE High Commissioner, Vincent De Graf – adviser of the High Commissioner, Marina Gurbo – expert (education issues), Idil Izmirli (culture and language issues), Velko Mikelich (land issues), Natalia Mirimanova (representation and self-management issues), Dmitry Plechko (Office of UNHCR in Ukraine), Greta Veling (social and economic issues), Adeline Gone – Head of the Office of UNDP in Crimea, as well as Natalia Sabanadze, Manon Manon de Kurte and Diana Breze van Grenu – representatives of the office of the OSCE High Commissioner.