Kiev won't recognize leaders of Ukraine's self-proclaimed republics — FM

Ukraine will not recognize the legitimacy of the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin said on Wednesday.

"The legitimization of those who currently hold power [in DPR and LPR] is impossible," Klimkin said at a joint news conference with Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende.

The Ukrainian Parliament had passed the self-government law for particular parts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which shows that Kiev is committed to the Minsk Agreements on the Ukraine crisis resolution, he said.

The people of Donbass need these possibilities of self-government "to return to normal life instead of legitimizing current leaders of the region," Klimkin added.

Norway supports Ukraine’s goal "to achieve real de-escalation in Donbass to hold fair elections," Klimkin said.

"OSCE should be granted access to the whole territory of Donbass, including border areas," the foreign minister added.

He said these issues will be on the top of the agenda of the Ukraine-NATO summit and other meetings.
[tass.ru]
6/7/16
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