Ukraine welcomes proposal on holding 2nd round of Geneva talks - Foreign Ministry
KYIV. May 7 (Interfax) - Ukraine welcomes the proposal on holding the second round of negotiations in the Geneva dialogue format, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says.
"Ukraine is open to a dialogue that could help de-escalate the situation in the southeastern regions, primarily from the viewpoint of providing appropriate conditions for holding early presidential elections on May 25," Foreign Ministry spokesman Vasyl Zvarych told Interfax.
"All the parties to the Geneva statement, primarily Russia, should take a responsible attitude toward carrying out this document's provisions, whose implementation is the foundation that would help ensure the process of the situation's de-escalation," he said.
"Doubtless and unconditional support by the parties for the Geneva statement of holding early presidential elections on May 25 as an important factor of normalizing the situation in Ukraine should be among the priorities in this connection," Zvarych said.
In commenting on Russia's idea that a representative of the southeastern part of Ukraine should take part in such negotiations, Zvarych argued that the Geneva format has already been determined and there are no reasons to change it.
The proposal regarding the second round of the Geneva negotiations is still under consideration, and therefore it is too early to talk about its date, he said.