Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 25
By Ilkin Izzet - Trend:
The events in Ukraine should be resolved by political means, Asim Mollazade, chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party said, commenting on the latest events in the country at the Azerbaijani parliament's (Milli Majlis) plenary session on Feb. 25.
"Ukraine and Azerbaijan are allies," he said. "Azerbaijan as a member of GUAM should provide its support on the defense of Ukrainian territorial integrity within the framework of international organizations."
" Territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Ukraine should be ensured," the MP stressed.
The mass protests in Ukraine began on November 21, 2013, when the government announced the suspension of the preparation of an Association Agreement with the EU.
Large-scale street riots resumed in Kiev on February 18, 2014. The belligerent crowd tried to come close to the parliament of Ukraine and radicals broke into the building in the center of Kiev, burned tires and threw stones at cars and police officers. The opposition used firearms for the first time, according to the police. Some 80 people were killed and over 600 injured as a result of the riots.
Negotiations to settle the conflict in Ukraine were held in Kiev on Feb.21. Later a relevant agreement was signed between President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders.
On Feb.22, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament of Ukraine) violating the reached agreements and without waiting for the president to sign the law to a return of the 2004 Constitution, made a decision to change the basic law and sacked the parliamentary leaders, Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry and the country's Security Service.
Yanukovych's interview with journalists in Kharkov was published on Feb.22, in which he stated that he remains the legally elected head of state and is not going to resign, while the country has all the signs of a coup d'état. Yanukovych also said that the decisions now being adopted by the Verkhovna Rada are 'illegal'. The Rada voted for a resolution on the transfer of powers of the president of Ukraine to speaker Turchinov until presidential elections on May 25.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.