28/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - Yuriy Lutsenko is sentenced - Catherine Ashton and Stefan Füle express disappointment. The EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, and the commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, Stefan Füle, expressed disappointment on Monday 27 February about the fact that a former minister of the government under Yulia Tymoshenko had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment for embezzlement and abusive use of power. The verdict “signals the continuation of trials in Ukraine which do not respect international standards as regards fair, transparent and independent legal process”, they underline in a joint press release, specifying that they will continue to keep a close eye on judicial procedures concerning the former members of Tymoshenko's government. Ashton and Füle said the EU-Ukraine summit of 19 December last “stated that respect for the rule of law will be of crucial importance for the speed of Ukraine's political association and economic integration with the EU”. (CG/transl.jl)