Posted on 04/18/2014 5:41:48 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
Armed pro-Russian insurgents occupying government buildings in more than 10 Ukrainian cities refuse to leave them until the country's interim government resigns, despite Thursday’s diplomatic deal in Geneva.
Ukraine and Russia agreed in Geneva to take tentative steps toward calming tensions along their shared border after weeks of conflict since Ukraine's former leader fled to Russia in February and Russia annexed Crimea in March.
The deal -- brokered by the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union-- calls for disarming all paramilitary groups and the immediate return of all government buildings seized across the country.
But Denis Pushilin—a leader of the self-appointed Donetsk People's Republic-- told reporters Friday that the separatists do not recognize the Ukrainian government as legitimate.
Speaking at the insurgent-occupied regional headquarters in the eastern city of Donetsk, Pushilin said Ukraine's new interim government in the capital, Kiev, is also occupying public buildings illegally.
"This is a reasonable agreement but everyone should vacate the buildings and that includes (Arseniy) Yatsenyuk and (Oleksandr) Turchynov," Pushilin said, referring to the acting Ukrainian prime minister and president.
A statement from Ukraine's acting president and prime minister says the government is ready to carry out "comprehensive constitutional reform" giving Ukraine's regions a greater say in local governance.
It's also pledging to give "special status to the Russian language" and protect the rights of all citizens, whatever language they speak.
The prime minister told parliament today that the government has drafted a law to offer amnesty to all those willing to lay down their arms and leave the occupied government buildings.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Putin is playing Obama like a ukelele.
I thought the new guys in Kiev were the reform.
May 25th there's an election.
Pushilin thinks they should occupy buildings even though there's an election soon.
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