An inclusive National Unity Dialogue was launched today upon the initiative of the acting President of Ukraine, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine O. Turchynov and Prime Minister of Ukraine A. Yatsenyuk.

The dialogue will involve holding a series of round tables in capitals and regions based on the principles of wide engagement of, above all, the representatives of political parties (at nation-wide and regional levels), regional authorities, local self-government, civil society and academic community.

High-level events will be held under the chairmanship of former Presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk and Leonid Kuchma. They will be supported by the special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, in cooperation with the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.

The dialogue will include thematic sections concerning the constitutional process. More specifically, it will be about local self-government, protection of national minorities, balance of branches of government, including the reform of justice system and relationship between the state and the citizen. The dialogue will be open to considering a wider range of issues related to the strengthening of public administration system, and may take into consideration other issues put forward by the participants.

The results and recommendations of the Dialogue will be presented to the Verkhovna Rada, Cabinet of Ministers, local self-government bodies and civil society for their implementation in practice, including preparation of amendments to the legislation.

The National Unity Dialogue is the response of the Ukrainian Government to the desire of the citizens of Ukraine to jointly and peacefully build a united, indivisible, sovereign country based on consensus and mutual respect.

By launching the National Unity Dialogue, Ukraine has reaffirmed its commitment to its obligations under the Geneva Statement of 17 April 2014.

We count of the facilitation and support from the international community, including, above all, the parties to the Geneva accords, for the successful conduct of the National Unity Dialogue as one of the primary steps initiated by the Ukrainian Government in order to de-escalate the situation in the southeastern regions of Ukraine.