Russia's Lavrov says Kiev avoiding talks with rebels in eastern Ukraine

Record ID: 76513

  • Title: Russia's Lavrov says Kiev avoiding talks with rebels in eastern Ukraine
  • Date: 9th December 2016
  • Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (DECEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "The problem is that Ukraine representatives are being capricious and are avoiding all possible ways of direct talks with Donbass. Although these are the talks that can give a result on concrete names, concrete places of people's detention. But this attempt to always avoid direct contact complicates the implementation of the Minsk agreements because the Minsk agreements are full of articles that demand coordination between Kiev and Donetsk and Luhansk on a whole range of issues." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "I have a feeling that they are now trying to drag Montenegro into NATO before the mandate of President (Barack) Obama's administration runs out. We are not interfering in the process, but I believe its savoury nature is evident to everyone." LAVROV SPEAKING
  • Embargoed: 24th December 2016 12:46
  • Keywords: Ukraine crisis Sergei Lavrov OSCE Minsk agreements Donetsk Luhansk
  • Location: HAMBURG, GERMANY
  • City: HAMBURG, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015C5XF7R
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday (December 9) said that he blamed Ukraine for delaying an agreement on an exchange of prisoners, saying Kiev refused to engage in direct talks with representatives from the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.
    "These are the talks that can give a result on concrete names, concrete places of people's detention. But this attempt to always avoid direct contact complicates the implementation of the Minsk agreements because the Minsk agreements are full of articles that demand coordination between Kiev and Donetsk and Luhansk on a whole range of issues," Lavrov said.
    Lavrov also told reporters during a meeting in Hamburg of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that he believed NATO was trying to 'drag' Montenegro into the alliance before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office.
    The Adriatic republic of 620,000 people has strong economic and traditional ties with Russia, another predominantly Orthodox Christian country. But relations cooled in recent years especially after Montenegro introduced sanctions against Russia, embracing EU policies.
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