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Crimean authorities to concede to agreements with Kiev on condition of int’l guarantees

SIMFEROPOL, March 04, /ITAR-TASS/. Crimea’s authorities will not sign any agreements with Kiev until they have international guarantees, speaker of the Supreme Council [parliament] of Ukraine’s autonomous republic of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov told Itar-Tass on Tuesday, commenting on today’s statement by Nestor Shufrich, a members of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, or national parliament, with the Party of Regions, about possible extension of Crimea’s authority.

“As of today, I do not consider this statement as serious,” he said. “We will concede to any agreements only on condition of international guarantees.”

“Why are they doing it now? Because we have displayed our strength,” he noted.“Sure, a dialogue is needed. We are ready to negotiate but we shall not concede to it [an agreement] just for the sake of it.”

Earlier on Tuesday, local media quoted Shufrich as saying that a decision had been taken after recent talks between lawmakers of the Verkhovna Rada and Crimea’s Supreme Council to set up a working group to look at amending Crimea’s constitution to broaden the authority of the Crimean autonomy.

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