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London’s refusal to discuss Ukraine language law points to double standards, says diplomat

The West's rejection to hold a UNSC meeting on the language law "testifies to the fact [they] view the developments in Ukraine only in the context of their own geopolitical interests" Moscow said
Russian embassy in London EPA-EFE/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA
Russian embassy in London
© EPA-EFE/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

LONDON, May 22. /TASS/. By refusing to discuss the Ukrainian language law, the British authorities showed that official London is applying double standards, the press secretary of the Russian embassy in London told reporters on Wednesday.

"The western countries’ double standards, including Great Britain’s, are evident. Only recently, London criticized the Russian President’s decision to introduce the streamlined procedure of obtaining Russian citizenship for those living in Donbass, although, as we’ve repeatedly pointed out, it was made in compliance with norms of the international law and in no way violates the Minsk Agreements," the Russian diplomat said. According to him, in this case the western partners yet again displayed their solidarity with the previous Ukrainian administration, which "more sowed discord between the Ukrainian citizens speaking Russian and Ukrainian, while fully neglecting the Minsk Accords for the sake of all Ukrainians," he pointed out.

As the press secretary emphasized, London "supporting the authorities in Kiev in the last few years, has been addressing all complaints and demands relating to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements only to Russia, which is not a party to the conflict." "At the same time, doing virtually anything to push Kiev to put an end to the conflict with their fellow citizens is certainly not in the British interests," the embassy spokesman said.

The Russian diplomat also said that Great Britain and other western countries’ decision to reject the request to hold a UN Security Council meeting on the recently adopted law on state language in Ukraine "yet again testifies to the fact that London and other western capitals view the developments in Ukraine only in the context of their own geopolitical interests without any consideration for Ukraine itself and its people." The press secretary indicated that passing the law on provision of the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language is not only "a brazen violation of rights and freedoms of millions of Ukrainians who do not speak Ukrainian as their native language", but also "underlines the spirit and provisions of the Minsk Agreements endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2202."

The diplomat particularly referred to the violation of citizens of certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions for language self-determination provided for by point 11 of the Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements. "For some reason, our western colleague did not deem it sufficient to consider the issue proposed by Russia at the UN Security Council meeting. Moreover, the adopted law violates the Ukrainian constitution and Ukraine’s international obligations which guarantee the respect for rights of national minorities," the press secretary concluded.