Ukraine angered by nationalist fighters being portrayed as Nazi henchmen
KYIV. Nov 28 (Interfax) - Ukraine has slammed alleged attempts by "some foreign politicians" to label Ukrainian nationalist militants who were active during World War II as Nazi collaborators.
"As the majority of member countries of the anti-Nazi coalition that denied support to this document, we stand for a more balanced approach to delicate issues of history," Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Voloshyn said in a statement commenting on a Russia-proposed UN resolution condemning the glorification of Nazism passed on Monday.
"At the same time, the Ukrainian state unambiguously denounces attempts to glorify Nazism, and Stalinism for that matter," he said in the statement, made available to told Interfax.
Voloshyn said Ukrainian diplomats had joined in efforts to draft the resolution in a bid to come up with a version that would end disputes in the United Nations.
"Some foreign politicians would like to represent people who, in extremely difficult historical conditions, fought for the freedom and independence of Ukraine as Nazi collaborators. Ukrainian society cannot accept such a simplified approach," he said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry believes that the United Nations and other international bodies have produced a sufficient legal base for fighting xenophobia and attempts to rehabilitate Nazism. "The only problem is that nations must fulfill their international commitments," Voloshyn said.
The resolution, which condemned neo-Nazism and related racism and xenophobia, received the votes of 120 nations, with three - the United States, Canada and the Marshall Islands -voting against and 57 abstaining.
