Ukraine's plans of unilateral border demarcation show Kyiv's incompetence - Russian Federation Council
MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax) - Russian Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko has harshly criticized Ukraine's plans of unilateral demarcation of the Ukrainian-Russian border as showing the Kyiv authorities' incompetence.
"This demarcation idea demonstrates lack of professionalism, incompetence, and the irresponsibility of the current Kyiv authorities, and this looks like a provocation of further escalation of confrontation between Russia and Ukraine," Matviyenko told journalists on Tuesday.
Matviyenko insisted that, in line with international law, border demarcation may be arranged within the framework of a joint interagency commission. "Demarcation is something carried out not kilometer by kilometer but meter by meter. Demarcation involves fates of people and fates of cities and villages, and this is possible only on a bilateral basis. All other statements have absolutely no legal grounds, and this border won't be recognized by anyone," she said.
The Federation Council chair also called the June 14 attack on the Russian embassy in Kyiv outrageous. "This goes against the Vienna convention on the protection of diplomatic missions. However, to our great surprise and disappointment, Russia's position on denouncing [the attack on] the Russian diplomatic mission was not supported at the level of the UN Security Council," she said.
Russia is not seeking confrontation with Ukraine, and there is no question of severance of diplomatic relations, Matviyenko said. "We are ready for any contacts that would help stop the punitive operation in the southeast so as to stop the deaths of civilians, and therefore we will continue our efforts, including negotiations and other contacts with the Ukrainian authorities so as to secure a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the southeastern part of the country," she said.
The Ukrainian authorities have assured Russia that they would carefully investigate the attack on the Russian embassy in Kyiv and would find those responsible, Matviyenko said. "It is important to understand who stood behind this organized action, and those guilty must be punished," she said.