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Ukraine's ex-leader Kuchma ready to stand down as Kiev’s negotiator in Contact Group

According to Kommersant.net, Leonid Kuchma already voiced his bid to leave his position of negotiator, but said nobody seemed to be willing to replace him in the negotiating process

KIEV, January 22./TASS/. Ukraine’s former President Leonid Kuchma, who is Kiev’s official envoy to the Contact Group for the settlement in Ukraine, said on Friday he was ready to stand down as chief negotiator.

"I have several times suggested to our president [Petro Poroshenko] to exchange me for Leonid Makarovich [Kravchuk]," the Korrespondent.net online edition quoted him as saying.

"No, I am not going there. I have no one to talk to there," Kravchuk was quoted by him as saying. Kuchma said negotiations in Minsk proceeded with difficulty, but marked their importance.

"Negotiations are needed. Do you think I go there gladly? I go there with one blood pressure readings, while come back with different ones," Kuchma said.

Kommersant.net said Kuchma had already voiced his bid to leave his position of negotiator, but said nobody seemed to be willing to replace him in the negotiating process.

The next meeting of the Contact Group on settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine will be held in Minsk on January 27, Kuchma’s spokeswoman Darya Olifer said Wednesday.