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Friday, February 21, 2014

Ukrainian politicians capable of settling crisis on their own - Russian diplomat



The Russian Foreign Ministry has urged foreign actors not to push the Ukrainian opposition into the further destabilization of the country. "We believe that the primary need of Ukraine is tranquility, not escalation. And foreign forces, who are actual curators of the incumbent Ukrainian opposition, should not tempt it into further destabilization with the purpose of achieving their own political goals," Russian State Secretary - Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said

"The main task for today is to stop the illegal actions and violence and to bring the situation back into the constitutional field. This is an internal affair of Ukrainian politicians and they are quite capable of dealing with it on their own, without direct foreign interference," he said in an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
As to the Western proposition about intermediaries in the Ukrainian settlement, Karasin stressed, for starters, that such a thing would require the consent of all sides to the conflict.
"We have been hearing various proposals of our partners in Europe and the United States about some sort of mediation in the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, which they see, however, only as concessions of the president and the government to the opposition's demands. In our view, the mediating mission primarily requires the consent and preparedness of the sides to the conflict, a clearly articulated invitation, good balance and impartiality," the diplomat said.
"The Ukrainian authorities demonstrate their constructive approach and readiness for the dialogue with their agreement to hold negotiations with the opposition and significant appointment offers. The opposition should display a similar attitude. One should not disrupt the emerging process with maximalist ultimatums and open foreign pressure," he added.
Speaking of Russian-Ukrainian interaction in the economy, Karasin said, "We carry on economic cooperation with Ukraine, in particularly, in the field of loans, energy and gas matters."
"We are not going to cut financial and other support to Ukraine if the new government, which will be formed in Kyiv, exhibits a serious inclination towards further cooperation with Russia and implementation of joint extensive programs in a variety of sectors," the Russian deputy foreign minister indicated.
"An integral state of Ukraine, which observes the rights and interests of all citizens in various regions of the country, meets the interests of Russia," Karasin stressed.
"The activity of the Ukrainian opposition has gone beyond the boundaries of a peaceful and legitimate protest and transformed not into manifestations of democracy but into disturbances and violations of the law; it came to direct anti-constitutional actions such as seizures of ministerial buildings and regional administration headquarters and attempts to create parallel bodies of power," he continued.
"Characteristically, such illegal actions have not been condemned in any manner by our Western partners," he said.
As to the possible destabilization in the Crimea, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed, Karasin said, "I am confident that the authorities of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic the Crimea will not permit a scenario, such as that happening in the country's west."
"We expect the rights of Russian citizens who are permanently or temporarily residing in various regions of Ukraine or serving in the Black Sea Fleet to be preserved consistent with international law," he concluded.

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