France, Germany Summon Ukraine Ambassador over Protest Response
France and Germany on Friday summoned the Ukrainian ambassador over Kiev's response to five days of pro-EU protests in which activists say five people have died in clashes with security forces.
"We want to show that we are serious with our criticism," German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters, after the French government made the same move.
"We expect the ambassador to pass on our message immediately to the Ukrainian government."
He added that Germany would stress its objections to draconian anti-protest laws Ukraine passed last week.
"We hope and assume that the government and the opposition have recognized that violence is senseless and that any new escalation with more casualties will not bring about anything good for Ukraine," he said.
"We support the efforts of the European Union to encourage dialogue in Kiev."
Schaefer said Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had spoken with his Ukrainian counterpart, Leonid Kozhara, and opposition leader and world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko earlier Friday.
In the talks with Kozhara, Steinmeier "asked him to stop the use of force against peaceful protesters".
Schaefer later acknowledged that some demonstrators had also engaged in violence and urged both sides to refrain from such acts.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone Thursday with Yanukovych and called on him to repeal the legislation barring demonstrations that have fuelled the most recent clashes.
Merkel had told reporters earlier that Ukraine must safeguard the lives of demonstrators but rejected calls for fresh sanctions against Kiev.
"I instructed the Quai d'Orsay (foreign ministry) to summon the Ukrainian ambassador in France today, which is a gesture to show that there is condemnation on France's part," said Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
"There were orders to fire on the crowd, which is clearly unacceptable."
Five activists have been killed in several days of violence in Ukraine.
Ukrainian police confirmed Friday that two young men who died in the latest clashes with security forces were killed by gunshot wounds, but denied responsibility.
Fabius said he was in contact with opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, a key opponent of President Viktor Yanukovych.
The foreign minister called Klitschko, a former world boxing champion, "one of the great leaders of the opposition".
He also criticized recently passed anti-protest laws.
"The laws passed are extremely repressive and I hope will be changed," he said, calling for "dialogue".
Pro-European demonstrators have occupied central Kiev since late November to protest Yanukovych's refusal to sign a deal forging closer ties with the European Union, a move made under pressure from Russia.
Since Sunday the standoff with police has escalated into deadly clashes.
Source: Agence France Presse
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