Brussels, 07/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 April, the European Union again called for calm in Ukraine and for the avoidance of further destabilisation. On 6 April pro-Russian protesters took control of official buildings in the towns of Kharkiv, Lugansk and Donetsk to the east of the country.
“We are following the situation closely and with concern. All political demands in Ukraine must go through non-violent means, respecting democratic principles and the rule of law”, said Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. Kocijancic gave the example of the presidential elections on 25 May, with “candidates from all factions and all regions”. “The elections are a good forum” for political demands, she added. She also mentioned the consultations that are ongoing between the parties and the Ukrainian government on the constitutional reform.
Rebecca Harms, co-leader of the Greens/EFA Group at the European Parliament, called on the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to “make its presence felt”. “After acting too late on the conflict in Crimea, the OSCE must now show that it has the resolve and the means to act as an organisation for common security. The mission must conduct its observations where it can really make a difference”, she added, calling on it to report on the ongoing events. Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, believed that the seizing of the buildings is part of a Russian plan to break up Ukraine. On 7 April, pro-Russian protesters in Dontesk proclaimed a sovereign republic.
Energy meeting in Brussels. According to a European source quoted by AFP, a delegation from the Ukrainian government, led by Ukraine's Minister for Energy Yuri Prodan, will be held in Brussels on 8 April for technical discussions on the means to ensure that Ukraine's energy needs are covered. The European party will be represented by European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger. (CG)