MOSCOW, December 14, 12:00 /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow does not doubt the large-scale rallies in Ukraine have been staged long beforehand, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.
“Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and our other high-ranking officials have commented on the situation several times. It has been staged well beforehand,” the foreign minister said. “We are amazed at the reaction on the edge of hysteria to the sovereign decision from Ukraine’s legitimate authorities.” “What is there Viktor Yanukovich’s government has done? Has it quit the agreement on nuclear non-proliferation? Or has it claimed work on a nuclear bomb, violating its obligations? Or has it shot at anybody?”
“The government used its legitimate competence, as it is the executive authorities who make decisions whether to sign or not to sign whatever international agreements.” “If a government decides to ink a document, it goes to the parliament for further ratification. And already there all claims, questions, pros and contras, protests and reactions in the constitutional, civilised manners are welcome,” Lavrov said.
“To a very normal event - the government’s announcement studies into the agreement arouse suspicions it is not very beneficial for Ukraine, they want to think twice, refuse to sign now and will continue studies - comes the rabid, no other word can describe it, reaction. A rally is coming into the streets with the harsh slogans, as if the country has announced war to some peace loving state despite the will of the Ukrainian people. This does not fit into the frames of a regular human analysis.”
“There are no doubts about provocateurs on the back stage.” “I am very concerned that our Western counterparts, must have lost the feeling of reality.”
“Imagine me coming to Germany in the middle of events, where a new party of Euro-Sceptics has got several months earlier major ratings by slogans “Stop Feeding Europe” or “Germany Should Distance From EU”,” Lavrov continued. “I would go among the protesters demanding Germany changed its attitude towards the EU and separated from it. What would be the reaction? I believe, the European Parliament, Parliamentary Assemblies of NATO, the European Council and OSCE would have fired resolutions about how outrageous it was that Russians are interfering with domestic affairs of sovereign Germany.” “But how can one explain what is happening in Ukraine now, where foreign ministers, the Union’s High representative come and demand from the Ukrainian people to make their choice in favour of joining the Association with the EU?” the minister wondered.
“See the difference in the positions,” Lavrov continued as saying. “Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says everybody should respect sovereignty of the Ukrainian state, and we all should respect the choice the Ukrainian people make. Western Europeans say: everybody should respect the choice of the Ukrainian people towards Europe.” “This means the choice has been made for the Ukrainians, and all the rest should simply respect it. This causes gloomy thoughts,” Lavrov added.