Comment by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the cease-fire in the area of the plane crash in Ukraine
The announcement by the State Commission for the Investigation into the Disaster with the Malaysian Boeing on the website of the Ukrainian government stating that the cease-fire regime in the crash area, which was ordered by the Ukrainian president "based on the request by international experts", will not be in force until the "beginning of the second phase of the investigation", is worrying. This cannot be perceived otherwise than the violation of the UN Security Council resolution 2166, which request to stop any military actions in the area adjacent to the crash area immediately.
On the 7 August, the Permanent Representation of Russia to the UN made an initiative to adopt a UNSC statement, in which the Council would express serious concern about this announcement and urge Kiev to implement its international obligations, which were imposed on it by this resolution.
However, this proposition was rejected by the United States, Australia and Lithuania. This group of countries has disclosed its hypocrisy again. Well, we can hardly expect anything else from them. We emphasise that the responsibility of the endless bloodshed in the South-East of Ukraine is also shared by these countries, because they continue to connive at their Kiev clients.
8 August 2014
