Monday, April 14, 2014

Excellent statement of Russia's rep at the UNSC (dubbed in English) (UPDATED with transcript)





TRANSCRIPT: (thanks to "OP"!!)

(After Ukrainian representative’s statement)

Thank you, Ms. Chairman.

Today many words, many statements were sounded but the first impression I would like to share with my colleagues is that they do not look at the watch. Now it is a half past nine p.m. and it means that it is about a half to four a.m. now in Ukraine. In a couple of hours, the morning of April 14 will come there. Actually, this is the time when according to a criminal order by Mr. Turchinov the Ukrainian Army should be used to suppress protest manifestations.

Many unfair statements were sounded, but of course, the one who outdid everybody and actually himself was my Ukrainian colleague. He prosecuted Russia in terrorism. Why haven’t you prosecuted those who terrorized your government during several months until February 21? Who actually fought the militia forces, who burned police officers alive, shot them and those who protested with themselves together against the government and appeared to be their allies. You didn’t call them terrorists for some reason, and even released them from responsibility for their criminal actions they were doing for several months.

Again, unfortunately several ridiculous prosecutions were sounded to Russia. They said that Russia wants to destabilize the Ukraine, even tries to suffocate it. However, why haven’t you answered our call to start a dialogue about how to help the Ukraine to struggle through a crisis when it just started? Why were you inciting to continue this confrontation? Why have it happened so late that Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Poland said EU actually needs to talk to Russia about economic prospective of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in case of their association with EU? By the way, I have not heard anybody supported this call in Brussels. We were reproached in “suffocation of Ukraine” even when we just refused to deliver our natural gas to Ukraine for free. Let see what will be an answer of EU Ministers on President Putin’s letter about how can we work together on pulling the Ukraine out of economical quagmire on April 14. However, Washington who actually have not been an addressee of this letter has already straightened the Europe calling this letter “an economical blackmail”. Let us see if there is any sovereignty remained for EU, is it able to make rational decisions to save the crisis or not.

During the whole crisis in Ukraine Russia voted not for an exhalation and destabilization of the country – this is not what we are interested in, because it is our important economic and political partner and a very close country for us in many ways – but against this destabilization. And we are not guilty in this situation we are observing now. Mr. Fernandes Taranka said that UN’s representatives began to observe actions that people of southeast of the Ukraine started to do capturing some administrative buildings. By the way here they, of course, used experience of Maidan and Kiev where administrative buildings were captured during months. However, our Western partners called it (Maidan – tr.) “a piece of democracy” for some reason. But they don’t endorse the same tactics when Southeastern people do it. It was on April 6 and 1, 5 months have passed since February 21 when President Yanukovich had been overthrown and an agreement had been signed what should have been able to prevent an exhalation. From the very beginning the one thing we were saying was that we should implement this agreement. Maybe we should gather a Constitutional Assembly, to make some decisive gesture to Southeast of the Ukraine, Were these gestures made? Well, finally Mr. Yatsenyuk came (to Southeast – tr.), said something and left, and the next day Mr. Turchinov makes a speech and says that he is not agree with Yatsenyuk. It turns out that they prefer to use a force.

By the way there were very worrying notes during a number of our consultations with our Western colleagues. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as you know, has conversations over the phone with US State Secretary John Kerry almost every day. Every time Kerry shows he understands our confusion and that he tries to do something speaking to Kiev to help them with understanding Southeast’s needs and worries about its autonomy and language rights. But suddenly one of his Deputies makes a speech in the Congress and says “We know that this conversation will have no result but we need to spare time somehow”. To spare time. So, maybe there is a Turchinov’s “army-using” scenario in somebody’s head in Washington? Then let’s stop blaming Russia that we’re seeking for destabilization.

The US representative mentioned that Vice President Biden will come to Ukraine, as I remember, on April 21st. But why should he wait for that day? Let him take a receiver right now and call Mr. Turchinov as he called President Yanukovich several times before February 21. Let him tell Mr. Turchinov the same he told Mr. Yanukovich. And according to VP’s press-service he said “Don’t use a force, in the name of God! Take away your police forces from Kiev’s center”. This is what Mr. Biden said. And what now – the USA will approve this criminal order about using an army? Why when people were going to assault the Ukrainian President’s apartments they called not to use force and now in present situation they have an opposite point of view, supporting Turchinov’s order? So please, Ms. Power, ask VP Biden to call Mr. Turchinov right now because in several hours events could take an irreversible turn.

Some colleagues said about that meeting which as had been announced should take place on April 17 with hope. Indeed, we were searching for any formats of dialogue - during several months and especially after February 21 - which could pull the crisis and we agreed for a meeting of Foreign Minister of Russia, US State Secretary, the High Representative of EU Ms. Ashton and acting Foreign Minister of the Ukraine. We hoped that this meeting may cause a wide political dialogue in the Ukraine, show a political way out of crisis. But do you really think we will be sort out papers while the Ukrainian army will start military actions? Of course an opportunity for such a meeting will be totally disturbed.

So please, let us forget any speculations, prosecutions, searching for Russian ghosts in different corners of the Ukraine and concentrate on what we can do – now I’m looking in direction of my Western colleagues – to prevent reckless actions of Kiev’s government which now released as this criminal order by Mr. Turchinov, to prevent bringing It into life. It will have the toughest consequences for people of the Ukraine and we must avoid it.

Thank you.

(After remarks of Ukrainian and US representatives)


Thank you.

I will not speak long now. I will tell only two things. Firstly, Yuriy Anatolievich, you call your people “bandits” too easy. Too easy. Those who represent “The Right Sector” and those who says today that they need to kill people – those are not bandits, you mean, those are, obviously “political elite” in Kiev now. And those who are protesting now in the East – they cannot act without help of Russia, of course (irony – tr.). Really, how could they understand that things that are been doing by Kiev’s government now is bad without a prompt from Russia? Of course, they cannot understand it. Miners are working there and some radicals are telling that they will come and set there a new order. They will not understand it by themselves, yeah? Only Russian agents may come and explain them that the things are bad. They will listen to it and will agree within seconds, of course. Whole their life experience and understanding a situation in their own country mean nothing, right? Why do you approach so easily to the situation?

Well and what about what American colleague, Mrs. Power, said. She hasn’t shown her attitude to this order to use an army in Eastern Ukraine. I still hope that after today’s discussion as Ukrainian colleague called on some of our Western colleagues will take their receivers, call their bosses and say them to impose their influence on Kiev and not to kindle the green light, because Kiev’s government does nothing without their approval. And our purpose should be to solve problems by a dialogue, not by a military confrontation.

Thank You.