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| Diplomats reach deal on defusing Ukraine crisis | Diplomats reach deal on defusing Ukraine crisis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| GENEVA — Top diplomats meeting here on the Ukraine crisis Thursday agreed that all parties, including separatists and their Russian backers, would stop violent and provocative acts, and that all illegal groups would be disarmed in steps Secretary of State John F. Kerry said must begin within days to be taken seriously. | GENEVA — Top diplomats meeting here on the Ukraine crisis Thursday agreed that all parties, including separatists and their Russian backers, would stop violent and provocative acts, and that all illegal groups would be disarmed in steps Secretary of State John F. Kerry said must begin within days to be taken seriously. |
| The breakthrough, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov referred to as “a compromise, of sorts,” came after nearly seven hours of negotiations among Lavrov, Kerry, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. | The breakthrough, which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov referred to as “a compromise, of sorts,” came after nearly seven hours of negotiations among Lavrov, Kerry, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. |
| A joint statement made no mention of the presence of what the United States has said are 40,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s eastern and southern borders. | A joint statement made no mention of the presence of what the United States has said are 40,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s eastern and southern borders. |
| (Read: Full text of the joint statement on Ukraine) | (Read: Full text of the joint statement on Ukraine) |
| But Kerry said that it made clear that Russia is “absolutely prepared to begin to respond with respect to troops,” provided the terms of the agreement are observed. | But Kerry said that it made clear that Russia is “absolutely prepared to begin to respond with respect to troops,” provided the terms of the agreement are observed. |
| Kerry said there had been “no discussion at this point in time about removal of existing sanctions” imposed by the United States and Europe in response to Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which he said the allies still consider illegal. | Kerry said there had been “no discussion at this point in time about removal of existing sanctions” imposed by the United States and Europe in response to Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which he said the allies still consider illegal. |
| “Everybody understands that would be premature where we’re putting to the test the bona fides and proffers” made in the agreement. | “Everybody understands that would be premature where we’re putting to the test the bona fides and proffers” made in the agreement. |
| At the same time, he said, the Obama administration’s threat of more substantial sanctions remains if the deal falls apart. “I made clear to Foreign Minister Lavrov today that if we’re not able to see progress on immediate efforts to implement” the agreement beginning “this weekend…we will have no choice but to impose further costs on Russia,” he said. | |
| In addition to disarmament of “illegal groups,” the seven-paragraph agreement called for the return of “all illegally seized buildings ... to legitimate owners” and said that “all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated.” | In addition to disarmament of “illegal groups,” the seven-paragraph agreement called for the return of “all illegally seized buildings ... to legitimate owners” and said that “all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated.” |
| As Ukraine’s interim government has previously offered, the agreement also grants amnesty to protesters, “with the exception of those found guilty of capital crimes.” | As Ukraine’s interim government has previously offered, the agreement also grants amnesty to protesters, “with the exception of those found guilty of capital crimes.” |
| The document stood in stark contrast to events on the ground in Ukraine Thursday, where three pro-Russian separatists were reported killed in confrontations with government forces in eastern Ukraine. In a news conference in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin reminded that the Russian parliament had authorized military action in Ukraine. | The document stood in stark contrast to events on the ground in Ukraine Thursday, where three pro-Russian separatists were reported killed in confrontations with government forces in eastern Ukraine. In a news conference in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin reminded that the Russian parliament had authorized military action in Ukraine. |
| Referring to a portion of the agreement that “rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-Semitism,” Kerry noted that “just in the last couple of days, notices were sent to Jews in one city indicated that they have to identify themselves as Jews, and obviously the accompanying threat implied is, or suffer the consequences.” | Referring to a portion of the agreement that “rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-Semitism,” Kerry noted that “just in the last couple of days, notices were sent to Jews in one city indicated that they have to identify themselves as Jews, and obviously the accompanying threat implied is, or suffer the consequences.” |
| “In the year 2014…this is not just intolerable,” he said, “it is grotesque.” Reports of the anti-Semitic notices first surfaced in Israeli publications early Thursday, with reports saying the flyers had been distributed by separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. | “In the year 2014…this is not just intolerable,” he said, “it is grotesque.” Reports of the anti-Semitic notices first surfaced in Israeli publications early Thursday, with reports saying the flyers had been distributed by separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. |
| Other elements in the document included agreement that the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe, whose monitors are already on the ground in Ukraine, should “play a leading role in assisting Ukrainian authorities and local communities in the immediate implementation of these deescalation measures...beginning in the coming days.” It said that the United States, the EU and Russia would all provide monitors. | Other elements in the document included agreement that the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe, whose monitors are already on the ground in Ukraine, should “play a leading role in assisting Ukrainian authorities and local communities in the immediate implementation of these deescalation measures...beginning in the coming days.” It said that the United States, the EU and Russia would all provide monitors. |
| It voiced support for the constitutional reform process currently underway in Ukraine, and insisted that it be “inclusive, transparent and accountable.” The process, it said, “will include the immediate establishment of a broad national dialogue, with outreach to all of Ukraine’s regions and political constituencies, and allow for the consideration of public comments and proposed amendments.” | It voiced support for the constitutional reform process currently underway in Ukraine, and insisted that it be “inclusive, transparent and accountable.” The process, it said, “will include the immediate establishment of a broad national dialogue, with outreach to all of Ukraine’s regions and political constituencies, and allow for the consideration of public comments and proposed amendments.” |
| Kerry called the document “a good day’s work,” but emphasized that “words on paper” were no substitute for action. | Kerry called the document “a good day’s work,” but emphasized that “words on paper” were no substitute for action. |
| “On laying down of weapons,” he said, the responsibility will lie with those who have organized” the separatists, “equipped them with weapons, put the uniforms on them and been engaged in the process of guiding them over the course of this operation…we’ve made it clear that Russia has a huge impact on all of those forces.” | “On laying down of weapons,” he said, the responsibility will lie with those who have organized” the separatists, “equipped them with weapons, put the uniforms on them and been engaged in the process of guiding them over the course of this operation…we’ve made it clear that Russia has a huge impact on all of those forces.” |
| At the beginning of the session, the first extended dialogue between Russia and Ukraine’s interim government since the crisis began in late February, the Ukrainian government outlined its plans to offer a significant autonomy go its eastern regions. Kerry said that according to the plan, most government functions except defense and foreign policy would be left to the regions. | At the beginning of the session, the first extended dialogue between Russia and Ukraine’s interim government since the crisis began in late February, the Ukrainian government outlined its plans to offer a significant autonomy go its eastern regions. Kerry said that according to the plan, most government functions except defense and foreign policy would be left to the regions. |