Chizhov: EU foreign ministers overlook Feb 21 deal in their statement on Ukraine
BRUSSELS. March 4 (Interfax) - The EU foreign ministers' statement on Ukraine overlooked the February 21 deal the Ukrainian authorities and the opposition concluded with their mediation, which could have resolved "the political deadlock in that country," Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said while speaking about the outcomes of the special meeting the foreign ministers of 28 EU member countries held in Brussels.
The final document of the ministerial meeting did not contain even an indirect reference to the February 21 agreement "between President Viktor Yanukovych and the three persons, who were the opposition leaders at that moment. Two of them have lately taken senior positions in Kyiv," he emphasized.
"In our view, the agreement signed by three foreign ministers of EU countries [Germany, France and Poland] could have become an instrument to resolve the political deadlock if it had been implemented," the envoy said.
"Only one side - President Yanukovych - honored it [the agreement]" after it was concluded, he noted.
"The opposition did nothing: they did not lay down arms, did not remove barricades and did not vacate administrative buildings. But, most importantly, instead of keeping to the approved schedule, i.e. holding a constitutional reform before elections, they did everything vice versa and hastily set the elections date," Chizhov said.
"No less importantly, the promise to form a people's unity government has vanished somehow. No matter what forced arguments the Western sponsors of the process may refer to, the incumbent government cannot possibly be described as a national unity government. Especially as its leader, Mr. Yatsenyuk, has openly and publicly declared, "We are the government of winners"," Chizhov continued.
"The question is who has lost in this situation. Judging by what we see, people in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea feel rather uncomfortable and it must be remembered that they constitute the majority of the country's population," the envoy said.
