- Title: GEORGIA: Britian's Hague says hopes separatists in Ukraine forgo referendum
- Date: 8th May 2014
- Summary: TBILISI, GEORGIA (MAY 8, 2014) (REUTERS) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, WILLIAM HAGUE, GETTING OUT OF CAR AND GREETING GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MAIA PANJIKIDZE HAGUE AND PANJIKIDZE SHAKING HANDS GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY CREST HAGUE AND PANJIKIDZE WALKING TO PODIUMS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, WILLIAM HAGUE, SAYING: "As the NATO secretary general has made clear, we haven't seen any evidence of Russian forces being withdrawn from the areas they've been stationed in recent weeks. So, as far as we are aware, there remain large Russian forces near the eastern border of Ukraine. Of course, we have called for the pulling back of such forces as part of reducing tensions. So, we hope that will take place, but we haven't seen signs of that so far." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, WILLIAM HAGUE, SAYING: "The statements that the President (Vladimir) Putin made yesterday - I hope that those in Donetsk and in other regions, who have been planning so-called referendums, but without of being able to stage a legal or meaningful referendum, will take notice of those words and will not hold such referendums. They should concentrate on the presidential election on May 25 which all Ukrainians should be able to take part." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, WILLIAM HAGUE, SAYING: "We have been preparing and we continue to prepare sanctions, including more far-reaching sanctions, if they are necessary. And President Obama and Chancellor Merkel spoke a week ago about the circumstances in which we would go ahead with further sanctions. So, that work continues. But we continue to call on Russia to join in implementing on what was agreed in Geneva on the 17th of April to reduce tensions." VARIOUS OF HAGUE AND PANJIKIDZE PAN OF FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING
- Embargoed: 23rd May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Georgia
- Country: Georgia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA26EDHZIDSYGSMOT4B0NQFD55D
- Story Text: British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Thursday (May 8) he saw no signs of Russian troops pulling back from the Ukrainian border, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said the day before, but he hoped Putin's request to eastern-Ukrainian separatists that they postpone an independence referendum would be heeded.
Hague made the comments in a news conference following meetings with Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze in Tbilisi.
"As the NATO secretary general has made clear, we haven't seen any evidence of Russian forces being withdrawn from the areas they've been stationed in recent weeks. So, as far as we are aware, there remain large Russian forces near the eastern border of Ukraine. Of course, we have called for the pulling back of such forces as part of reducing tensions. So, we hope that will take place, but we haven't seen signs of that so far," Hague said.
Putin's call on Wednesday (May 8), potentially pulling Ukraine back from the brink of violent dismemberment, came just five days before a referendum was to be held in Donetsk and Luhansk.
Residents in areas held by the pro-Moscow rebels were stunned by Putin's remarks at a time when the region seemed to be hurtling towards inevitable independence and a week of bloodshed had brought animosity towards Kiev to a fever pitch.
"The statements that the President Putin made yesterday - I hope that those in Donetsk and in other regions, who have been planning so-called referendums, but without of being able to stage a legal or meaningful referendum, will take notice of those words and will not hold such referendums. They should concentrate on the presidential election on May 25 which all Ukrainians should be able to take part," Hague said.
Hague said he was hopeful Russia would implement the Geneva agreements hammered out last month to stem the crisis in Ukraine, but Russia's actions would determine the West's view of whether to apply more sanctions.
"We have been preparing and we continue to prepare sanctions, including more far-reaching sanctions, if they are necessary. And President Obama and Chancellor Merkel spoke a week ago about the circumstances in which we would go ahead with further sanctions. So, that work continues. But we continue to call on Russia to join in implementing on what was agreed in Geneva on the 17th of April to reduce tensions," he said.
Putin's comments were the first sign the Kremlin leader has given that he would not endorse a referendum planned for Sunday (May 11) by pro-Russian rebels seeking independence for two provinces in the east, and Russian analysts said they believed the rebels would heed Putin's call to put off the vote.
In what could be a breakthrough in the worst crisis between East and West since the Cold War, Putin also announced he was pulling Russian troops back from the Ukrainian border.
NATO, the Pentagon and the White House all said they had seen no signs of a Russian pull-back from the frontier, where Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops, proclaiming the right to invade Ukraine to protect Russian speakers. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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