FM Venizelos calls for immediate stop to violence in Ukraine

20/ 02/ 2014

   

ANA-MPA -- Government vice-president and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Thursday expressed concern about the escalation of violence in the Ukraine, in statements from Skopje. He underlined that the violence must stop immediately, with the help of the international community.

"Unfortunately, a ray of hope created earlier this morning with the ceasfire in the Ukraine has dissipated. The violence has escalated and the dead are increasing. It is an obligation of all factors in the Ukraine to stop the violence. To reach an understanding and ensure the democratic function of their country, its internal stability and integrity. In this way, they will find their place in the European continent, in which they - in any case - belong historically and geographically, but must also belong institutionally and culturally. The role of the EU is crucial, as is the role of the United States and Russia. The international community has an obligation to mobilise and help the country by exercising every legal and permissible pressure so that it stands on its feet, remains stable and does not descend into civil war," Venizelos said

Venizelos meets his fYRoM counterpart

   

Venizelos on Thursday met with former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (fYRoM) Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Poposki to discuss the enlargement policy of the European Union (EU) under the Greek presidency and the status of fYRoM.

Venizelos is paying a visit to Skopje as part of a tour to the capitals of the Western Balkans, in his capacity as President of the Council of Ministers of the EU.

Regarding the issue of the name, Poposki stated that "the political climate in Greece ahead of the European parliament elections and the municipal elections does not favour the intensification of negotiations for a solution" and called on Greece to respect the verdict of the Hague tribunal in 2011 and and allow the integration of fYRoM into NATO and the EU.

Venizelos also met with fYRoM's President Gjorge Ivanov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Fatmir Besimi, the leader of the largest opposition party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) Zoran Zaev, the leader of the coalition Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) party Ali Ahmeti. In the afternoon he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Venizelos will also meet with the ambassadors of the EU member states in Skopje. A press conference will follow.

He will return to Pristina and then travel by plane to Tirana in the last stop of his tour.

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