15-17 November 2023, Kyiv, Ukraine - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) was invited to participate and contribute to the 62nd General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), which took place in Kyiv, from 15 to 17 November 2023. The meeting was convened by PABSEC current President, H.E. Hon. Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chaiman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine.
Hon. Pedro Roque, PAM Vice-President and President PAM 3rd Standing Committee on Dialogue among Civilizations and Human Rights, represented the Assembly on this important occasion.
Delegations from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine were also present, together with representatives of regional institutions and organizations, such as the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe and the Marmara Group Foundation for Strategic and Social Research.
On 15 November, participants were escorted to a field visit to the territories, within the Kyiv region, where war crimes have been committed by the Russian Armed Forces. The visit included meetings with local authorities.
On 16 November, at the Opening Session of the General Assembly, delegates were addressed by video-message by H.E. Mr. Vladimir Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Also H.E. Mr. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, delivered a speech, which was read by the Head of the Turkish delegation to PABSEC.
In his intervention during the General Debate, Hon. Roque expressed PAM’s strong condemnation of Russian failed aggression against Ukraine.
In addition, he denounced the Kremlin’s armament race, including the escalating nuclear rhetoric, as well as the weaponization of food and energy sources, the use of propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation by the Russian Federation to destabilize Euro-Mediterranean countries, and the presence of the Russian-controlled Wagner mercenary Group in the Sahel, which represents a major threat to the security of the PAM regions.
PAM will continue to vigorously promote and support the efforts of the international community to liberate occupied territories in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN General Assembly Resolutions.
At the end of the General Assembly, the PABSEC Presidency passed to the Parliament of the Republic of Albania. //