Ukrinform
October 27, 2014
NATO ready to cooperate with new parliament and government of Ukraine
KYIV: The North Atlantic Alliance has recognized the democratic nature of the October 26 elections for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and is ready to cooperate with the president and the new parliament and government.
This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukrinform’s correspondent in Brussels reported.
“I congratulate the people of Ukraine…in favor of an ambitious reform agenda and a European path,” he said.
Stoltenberg expressed his willingness to continue close cooperation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, as well as the new parliament and government, as part of a distinctive partnership.
However, he deplored the fact that many Ukrainians were unable to exercise their democratic right to vote in Crimea, which Russia illegally and illegitimately annexed in March, and in parts of eastern Ukraine, where violence and intimidation of voters by Russian-backed separatists continued, in clear violation of the Minsk agreements.
“NATO continues to support Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. An independent, sovereign and stable Ukraine, firmly committed to democracy and the rule of law is key to Euro-Atlantic security,” Stoltenberg said.
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