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Ukraine’s top diplomat explains why Kiev has blocked UNSC statement on Churkin

Vitaly Churkin died in New York on February 20, a day before his 65th birthday

UNITED NATIONS, February 21. /TASS/. Ukraine blocked the adoption of a statement by the chair of the UN Security Council devoted to Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin, who died on Monday, because it saw no need in that, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin said on Tuesday, explaining Kiev’s position.

He said the Ukrainian side thinks a press statement as an unofficial Security Council document is enough to honor Churkin’s memory.

Statements of the Security Council chair, held by Ukraine in February, are issued on the United Nations’ six official languages, including Russian.

"We offered a proper press statement. This statement was based on facts and expressed the Security Council’s position," Klimkin said, citing a Ukrainian saying that nothing should be said about the dead but what is good.

The minister said he had "fundamental differences in political positions and in how such positions are to be expressed" with Churkin. "But it is no obstacle to express condolences in a humane way," he added.

Vitaly Churkin died in New York on February 20, a day before his 65th birthday. He has been Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations since April 8, 2006. The Russian foreign ministry said the diplomat died while on duty. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree to posthumously award the Order of Courage to him.

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council passed a press statement to express condolences over the passing of Russian Ambassador VItaly Churkin to his family and the Russian government and people.

Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier wrote on her Facebook page that Kiev had blocked the adoption of a statement by the chair of the UN Security Council devoted to Vitaly Churkin. "This is the essence of the current Ukrainian authorities: they cannot do anything good, they only spoil everything, even for themselves," Zakharova wrote.

"This is beyond Christian ethics, it is beyond good and evil," Russian Foreign Minister said, commenting on the situation. "But the current Ukrainian authorities have inured us that this is the way someone in their country treats Russians and those who doesn’t want to jig to the neo-Nazi tune."

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maryana Betsa said Ukraine had not blocked the UN statement on Vitaly Churkin but "merely confined itself to a traditional press statement.".