UKRAINE-PRESIDENT-EAST-REVOLUTIONS
Kyiv, December 16 (Ukraine News) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that that the mass protests in North African and the Middle East against ruling regimes are a sign of people’s belief in freedom and democracy.
“The second challenge [in the outgoing year] concerns the large-scale changes that happened in North Africa and the Middle East through the chain reaction principle. We don’t know how these regions will change in future due to these events, but the Arab Spring is certainly a sign of hope. It is a symbol of belief in freedom, democracy and justice, which are, and will remain, human values,” he said at a traditional annual meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states in Kyiv on Friday.
Yanukovych said that Ukraine had provided humanitarian assistance to Libya and was ready to participate in international efforts on its restoration.
“We evacuated not only Ukrainians, but also about 300 citizens of other countries from a dangerous region,” he added.
“The safety of citizens and the democratic foundations of society are the highest values for Ukraine. And we are ready to actively cooperate with our foreign partners for their further confirmation,” Yanukovych said.
[UA EUROPE EEU EMRG POL]
PA
18:55:45 EET-2
