Hollande: Ukrainian territorial integrity must be preserved but with certain degree of east's autonomy
ASTANA. Dec 5 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian peace process should start with the lessening of tensions in verbal exchanges, French President Francois Hollande opined.
"It is necessary to lower tensions in verbal exchanges first. Then the reduction of tensions should develop into concrete actions on the Ukrainian territory. I am constantly seeking a dialogue (...), France can help maintain this dialogue with all interested sides," he said at a press conference in Astana on Friday after negotiations with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
In the opinion of the French president, the territorial integrity of Ukraine should be preserved but the eastern regions should have "a certain degree of autonomy."
"We have agreed with Nazarbayev to use trips, mechanisms and dialogue platforms to reduce the tensions in a way that will help preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine, guarantee a certain degree of autonomy of eastern Ukrainian regions and act so that the Ukrainian economy can start to recover from this most severe position alongside the fulfillment of the ceasefire agreement," the French president said.
"I will carry on this dialogue with Nazarbayev and exchange the new information we acquire in the coming days. Both our countries have a special position, independence. This independence is very important. We are an inseparable part of Europe but nevertheless we have a position which enables us to make an independent decision," Hollande said.
"Our position is firm and some of my latest decisions demonstrate that France does not have any weakness," he emphasized.
