Lavrov, Kerry speak out against use of force in southeast Ukraine - Russian Foreign Ministry
9 April 2014, 20:20 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry had one more telephone conversation on Wednesday at the initiative of the US side, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports. 'While exchanging opinions about the developments in southeast Ukraine the heads of Russian and US diplomacy called for renouncing any use of force and for directing the situation to a political and legal channel through talks. In this context the Russian side once again stressed that there is no alternative to the involvement of all the regions in the process of constitutional reform,' a ministry report says.
Only equitable dialogue can resolve Ukrainian crisis - Lavrov
All Ukrainian regions must be involved in respectful dialogue in order to find an equitable compromise to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday. 'We are monitoring the situation while trying to determine the prospects of its settlement, but it's clear that it could be resolved only through fair and respectful dialogue involving all regions,' Lavrov told reporters. The Ukrainian crisis saw further escalation of tensions over the weekend as pro-Russian protesters in eastern Ukraine seized local government buildings in the cities of Donetsk, Kharkiv and Luhansk, demanding independence and announcing plans to join Russia.
Russia to attend four-party meeting on Ukraine only if it helps end crisis - Russan FM
Russia will attend a quadripartite meeting on Ukraine with the United States, the European Union and the Ukrainian authorities only if it helps Kiev foster contacts with all political and regional forces inside the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. 'We want to understand the purpose of convening this meeting,' the minister said on Wednesday, April 9. 'This is an internal Ukrainian crisis, and those who are holding the reins of power in Kiev now must invite all regions, all political forces to start a dialogue on the constitution, on the language and all other aspects.'
'If this meeting focuses on urging the Ukrainian authorities not to wait for the south-eastern regions to boil over, as is the case now, and on urging them to talk with these regions, we will join this call,' Lavrov said.
'But if they: 'take your seats at the table and give them cheap gas', this is probably senseless,' he said.
Sergei Lavrov also noted that Russia is ready for dialogue with Ukraine on the price of gas.
He recalled parliament-appointed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's remarks that the Ukrainian budget was based on the price of $485 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. 'Now they are saying that they won't pay until we agree to the price they want,' the minister said, adding that there were more questions in relations with Ukraine than there were answers.
'But we are always ready for dialogue,' he concluded.
Russia's Lavrov expresses concern over agenda of Ukrainian crisis talks
It would be senseless to focus the upcoming multilateral talks over the Ukrainian crisis on reducing the price of Russian gas supplies to Kiev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday. Top diplomats from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the EU diplomacy chief Catherine Ashton are expected to meet next week to discuss how to handle the current political crisis in Ukraine. 'We want to know first what are the goals of this meeting,' Lavrov told reporters, confirming that the timetable of the talks has not been determined. 'If it's about calling on new Kiev authorities to finally start taking care of their country - we are all for it,' the minister said. 'But if they ask us to sit at the negotiations table and give Ukraine cheap gas or something else - then it probably doesn't make any sense,' Lavrov said.
Kiev has not yet responded to Russia's concerns over potential sales of ballistic missile technologies by Ukraine to third countries in violation of its international obligations, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday. 'We are not getting any response to our concerns over alleged plans by Kiev to sell ballistic missile technologies,' Lavrov told reporters. 'We have also asked the Americans about this issue, but they keep silent as well,' the minister said.
Ukrainian crisis could be resolved only through fair, respectful dialogue involving all regions - Lavrov
The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier cited a number of media reports alleging that the Yuzhmash company, based in the Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk, is holding talks with foreign clients on the sales of technologies involved in production of RS-20 Voyevoda ballistic missiles. The ministry urged the new Kiev authorities to be extremely cautious in its decisions to trade technologies related to ballistic missiles with payloads exceeding 500 kilograms and firing ranges of over 300 kilometers (over 180 miles).
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