Lavrov to Kerry: Four-party Talks at Risk If Kiev Uses Force in Ukraine’s East
Local Editor
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned his US counterpart John Kerry Saturday of ruining the four-party talks if force was used in Ukraine’s east.
During a telephone call with Kerry, the two diplomats discussed the Ukrainian crisis, and preparations for a meeting in Geneva planned to take place next week.
Lavrov told Kerry if Kiev fulfils its threat to use force against South-eastern Ukrainians, it will undermine the prospect of a four-sided meeting in Geneva as well as other cooperation on the Ukrainian crisis, Russian foreign ministry said.
“If Kiev’s threats to use force against people driven to despair in the southeast are carried out, prospects for further cooperation on the Ukrainian issue, including a planned four-party meeting in Geneva, will be foiled.”
For his part Kerry “made clear that if Russia did not take steps to de-escalate in eastern Ukraine and move its troops back from Ukraine’s border, there would be additional consequences”, a senior State Department official said.
The top US diplomat also expressed his concerns over the mass protests in the south-eastern regions of Ukraine, claiming that was the “result of ‘instigation’ and nearly direct intervention of the Russian side,” the Russian ministry added.
However, Kerry has stopped short of providing any concrete facts whatsoever, instead repeating that “Russia must remove its people from the South-East,” the Russian ministry noted.
On the other hand, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called on all sides in the Ukraine crisis to “exercise maximum restraint” and engage in dialogue to de-escalate the situation there.
Ban is “deeply concerned” about the deteriorating situation and “growing potential for violent clashes,” a UN statement said.
The secretary general “appeals to all sides to work towards calming the situation, adhere to the rule of law and exercise maximum restraint,” the statement added.
He also “calls again for urgent and constructive dialogue to de-escalate the situation and address all differences.”
Source: Al-Manar
