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Ukraine promises 'special status' for east, but no territorial concessions
[Dhaka Tribune] Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised yesterday to propose a bill granting "special status" to rebellious regions in eastern Ukraine, in a bid to boost support for Kiev amid a shaky cease-fire, The Christian Science Monitor reported.But Poroshenko said that the east would remain part of Ukraine, underscoring his unwillingness to consider calls from Moscow and pro-Russian rebels for federalization. Kiev has long argued such a move would give the eastern region near complete autonomy and propel it toward secession. "Ukraine will not make any concessions on issues of its territorial integrity," Poroshenko said in remarks during a nationally televised Cabinet meeting addressing the conflict that's so far killed over 3,000, according to the News Agency that Dare Not be Named. The president also said that 70% of Russian troops in Ukraine have left the country, something he said "strengthens our hope" for peace prospects, Rooters reports. Russia denies sending troops into Ukraine, a claim that Kiev and its Western supporters strongly dispute. But Poroshenko also noted that "the cease-fire was not proving easy to maintain because 'terrorists' were constantly trying to provoke Kiev's forces." The Ukrainian leader's speech comes as he faces mounting pressure in western Ukraine to prove that he did not negotiate away Ukraine's territorial integrity during cease-fire talks last week, The Wall Street Journal reports. Posted by: Fred 2014-09-11 |
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