First move to de-escalate conflict should be made by Kiev - Lavrov
24 April 2014, 15:36 -- It is the Kiev authorities that need to make a first step in de-escalating the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, while understanding that the use of armed forces against the people in that region is a crime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
'The main precondition for Ukraine to overcome the crisis is the termination of unlawful actions by the Kiev authorities, who should realize their responsibility for everything that was signed on February 21 and April 17 in Geneva. It says clearly that there must be no violence,' Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday.
'Using the army, not to mention leaning on radical nationalists, against the people is an absolutely unacceptable form of violence. Moreover, I believe this is a criminal decision,' Lavrov said. 'We have no doubts that it is the Kiev authorities who should make first steps. This is an absolutely indisputable thing, and evading it and trying to do what our Western partners are doing by presenting the matter as if angels have taken the throne in Kiev and they are doing everything right and without any mistake is simply incorrect,' he said.
The US should influence the Kiev authorities, Lavrov said. 'I have no doubts that our American partners may influence the people who have invested themselves with power in Kiev, and I've already said this,' he said.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
