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| Thousands of Ukrainians gathering on Independence Square (Image: Euan McDonald) |
Western politicians including representatives of USA and EU have
strongly condemned recent use of force by Ukrainian government against peaceful
protesters when security forces and riot police have attempted to disperse the
protests on the night of 11 December and stormed Independence Square, the main
site of the protesters.
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy of EU, who is in Kyiv since Tuesday, 10 December, has also expressed
deep concern of EU and condemned using of force and stripping citizens of their
fundamental rights and freedoms, which include freedom of expression, peaceful
protests and gatherings. It’s worth mentioning that Ukrainian President Victor
Yanukovich has assured Mrs. Ashton along with other representatives of Western
countries that the talks with the oppositional forces will be organized and the
force won’t be used again. Thus Mrs. Ashton expressed her disappointment over
the recent events as the violent storming of the protesters happened the same
night.
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| Riot police stroming Euromaidan on Tuesday (Image: TSN) |
Catherine Ashton has met with Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich on
Wednesday, 11 December, and discussed with him current situation calling for
the peaceful solution and organizing the talks attended by the government,
opposition and citizens’ community.
Mrs. Ashton had also a meeting with the representatives and leaders of
Ukrainian opposition, Arseny Yatsenyuk, Oleg Tyagnybok and Vitaly Klichko. They’ve
discussed the recent events and the current political crisis and the possible
ways out of this situation. Catherine Ashton also stressed that EU totally
supports aspirations and political will of Ukrainian citizens and is astonished
by the strength and high spirits of Ukrainians gathered now on Euromaidan in
Kyiv and all over Ukraine to express their position.
According to the statement of oppositional leader Arseny Yatsenyuk,
Catherine Ashton declared EU is ready to sign an Association Agreement with
Ukraine any moment and special commission with the mission to Ukraine will be
formed in the following days. EU and other Western countries are ready to
support Ukrainians on the path to European integration.
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| EU Catherine Ashton (Image: Wikipedia) |
Thus Arseny Yatsenyuk has addressed tens of thousands of protesters on
Independence Square and millions of Ukrainians calling for them to support the
protests and to continue their fight.
Victoria Nuland, Deputy of US State Secretary John Kerry, has also
strongly condemned Wednesday’s night attack against peaceful demonstrators
claiming this way is totally unacceptable in the modern democratic country and
urging Victor Yanukovich and his government to listen to the people’s demands
and to hold negotiations.
Meanwhile European Parliament, which also condemned recent use of force
against peaceful protesters claiming that it contradicts the rules and values
of the civilized democratic countries. European Parliament is monitoring the
events in Ukraine with a lot of its representatives being currently in Ukraine
and visiting Euromaidan as well in order to have beeter understanding of the situation.
The project of resolution “About the results of Vilnius Summit and future
Eastern European Partnership, particularly Ukraine” was registered on Wednesday
in European Parliament. Resolution about Ukraine and its current situation is
expected to be announced in the coming days. The project of resolution declares
the necessity of forming of the special mediation mission of EU on the highest
level which could help to “hold the round table and talks between the
government, democratic opposition and citizens’ community, which could enable
peaceful solution of the crisis”.
Authors of the resolution’s project expressed their total solidarity
with Ukrainian protesters.
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| Newly erected barricades on Euromaidan (Image: Hanna Hrabarska) |
European Parliament also strongly condemns use of violent force against the
peaceful demonstrators and calls for government to organize fast and effective
investigations of the current cases of using the force and to hold accountable
all those responsible for the violence. European Parliament also calls to
release all the peaceful demonstrators currently detained and to organize negotiations
attended by the representatives by all political powers in Ukraine.
In addition to that the project of resolution says also about financial
aid necessary for Ukraine to help the country with the implementation of the
reforms in the framework of European integration and in order to help to
modernize its economy. IMF should also resume its talks with Ukraine regarding
the new terms of giving Ukraine its financial aid.
The vote for the resolution is expected to happen on Thursday, 12
December.
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| Leaders of Ukrainian opposition (Image: AP) |
Ukrainian President Yanukovich though continues to call for the round
table attended by all the political forces. Mr. Yanukovich promised Catherine
Ashton and Victoria Nuland during his meetings with them that the decision will
be taken in the nearest future and stated he is ready for negotiations.
However Ukrainian opposition stated that they will participate in the
talks with the current government only in case all their main demands will be
met. Among those demands are release of all unlawfully detained activists and
protesters, investigation of the recent violence, holding accountable those
responsible for the violent dispersals and beatings and punishing them,
resignation of Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko. Opposition also demands
to form technical transitional government in order to continue talks with EU
regarding Association Agreement and to prepare early parliamentary and presidential
elections.
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| New barricades in Kyiv downtown (Image: BBC) |
Tens of thousands of protesters remain currently on Kyiv Independence
Square protesting against the current regime. All the barricades removed by the
riot police last night have been erected again, the tents are back and the territory
of the protests is again under the control of protesters. More and more people
arrive in Ukrainian capital to support Euromaidan. Representatives of Western
countries and diplomats are delivering their speeches from the stage erected on
Euromaidan.
Though the fears of possible attempts to storm and disperse the protests
calms again came back as new security forces and riot police troops have been
reportedly deployed to the city in the area of downtown, Soldiers are
regrouping currently. There are also reports about alleged provocateurs moving
from the direction of the governmental district, currently blocked and
encircled by security forces, in the direction of Euromaidan.
Oppositional leaders in their turn call for people to come to Maidan and
to support the protests. They also call for the fresh million-man march to be
held this weekend.
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