Lavrov: Ready for Dialogue with Kiev, Military Operation ‘Colossal mistake’
Local Editor
As he warned against the going on with the military operation against pro-federalization activists in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced readiness on Monday to hold dialogue with newly elected president in Kiev.
“We are ready for dialogue with Kiev’s representatives, with Petro Poroshenko,” Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his South Sudanese counterpart Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
“We are ready for pragmatic dialogue, on an equal footing, based on respect for all agreements, in particular in the commercial, economic and gas spheres,” he said.
“As the president (Vladimir Putin) has said, we respect the result of the choice of the Ukrainian people.”
Lavrov said he understood Kiev planned “to resume the active phase of the anti-terrorist operations” now that Sunday’s election was over.
“That would be a colossal mistake,” Lavrov said, calling for “real dialogue” between Kiev and the activists.
“The chance now to establish mutually respectful and equal dialogue, the results of which Russia is ready to respect, should not be missed,” Lavrov said.
“Perhaps the most important thing is that the current government respect its citizens, have respect for the people and achieve compromise agreements that take into account the interests of all forces, all ethnic and religious groups, because without this hardly anything can happen,” he said.
Source: Al-Manar
