According to Ukrainian officials, Yuri Luzhkov, center, performed a planned action aimed at undermining positive dynamics of bilateral relations during his visit to Ukraine.
Photo: ITAR-TASS, ITAR-TASS
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Ukraine Closed for Moscow Mayor
Ukrainian authorities introduced Monday the timeless ban on visits of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Luzhkov called on to focus on getting back Sevastopol during the celebration of the 225th anniversary of the RF Black Sea Fleet held in that city of Ukrainian Crimea. In Russia’s Foreign Ministry, they didn’t appreciate the mayor’s initiative but stepped in to defend him nothwithstanding.
It was Ukrainian Security Council that announced the non-grata status of Yuri Luzhkov. Notorious for his passionate rhetoric related to Russia’s relations with nearby states, Moscow mayor was warned against performing any acts to the detriment of territorial integrity of Ukraine as soon as he landed in Sevastopol on Saturday, to no avail though.
Luzhkov voiced his standing on Sunday, in the midst of festivities. He said he “had been served with a paper of Ukrainian Security Council cautioning him to keep silent.” “But will it be right for us to keep silent?” the mayor posed a rhetoric question. “We are telling the truth. We don’t want our states to split but we want to tell the truth.”
In Luzhkov’s interpretation, the truth is that Russia should have Sevastopol back under its jurisdiction. When Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev handed over Crimea to Ukraine, the mayor went on, he “didn’t take pains to properly execute it, and everything was given without mentioning Sevastopol.” “So far, Sevastopol has been never handed over to Ukraine, according to historic documents. The issue of Sevastopol should be brought to the international court… I’ll officially address leaders of our state, the State Duma, the Federation Council to raise the Sevastopol issue anew.”
The Security Council of Ukraine was the first to rebuff by banning the Moscow mayor from any new visits to the country. Besides, the detectives in Ukraine are probing into his potential involvement in money laundering in Sevastopol. Foreign Ministry called Luzhkov’s statement “a planned action aimed at undermining positive dynamics of bilateral relations.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry stepped in to defend Luzhkov. “Certain encroachment on territorial integrity of Ukraine has been unjustifiably incriminated to Moscow mayor,” the ministry’s information department announced Monday. “Luzhkov has never made any unfriendly statements against Ukraine. By his practical deeds, he actively promotes development of relations between two states.” According to Russia’s diplomats, Luzhkov had just voiced his point of view that coincides with opinion of most Russians that are supersensitive to the collapse of the USSR.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 13, 2008
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