Ukrainian Minister Denies Obstructing Premier’s Russian Visit

Text of report by Interfax-Ukraine news agency

Kiev, 25 August: The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s internal investigation has not confirmed the allegations against the Ukrainian embassy in Russia of obstructing the preparation for and the holding of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s visit to Moscow [on 21 August].

“We have carried out an internal investigation and I am pleased to announce that none of the allegations have been confirmed,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told journalists on 25 August in Lviv.

Yatsenyuk added that he will report in detail about the results of the investigation at a news conference later.

Earlier the head of protocol of the prime minister’s office, Yuriy Ladnyy, said that the personnel of the Ukrainian embassy in Russia in fact obstructed the preparation for and the holding of the visit of the head of the Ukrainian cabinet to Russia. In particular, Ladnyy said that the Ukrainian diplomatic mission did not send the Russian Foreign Ministry the final schedule, effectively “almost disrupting the program of the visit”. Moreover, the embassy did not give its officers responsible for various aspects of the visit access to the venues of the meetings and other activities of the prime minister.

Yanukovych participated in the opening of the international airshow [MAKS-2007] in Zhukovskiy, Moscow Region, where he briefly met Russian President Vladimir Putin, on 21 August.

[Fore details, see also Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian 0801 gmt 22 Aug 07.]

Originally published by Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian 1343 25 Aug 07.

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