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| Ukrainian officials hold unity talks as tension remains high | Ukrainian officials hold unity talks as tension remains high |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — Government officials, dignitaries and representatives from restive eastern Ukraine held a second round of talks on national unity Saturday, even as tensions remained high in the troubled Donetsk and Luhansk regions near the border with Russia. | KIEV, Ukraine — Government officials, dignitaries and representatives from restive eastern Ukraine held a second round of talks on national unity Saturday, even as tensions remained high in the troubled Donetsk and Luhansk regions near the border with Russia. |
| The latest round of talks took place in the eastern city of Kharkiv, following an inaugural session in Kiev on Wednesday that produced little sign of a breakthrough. Western diplomats, however, have hailed the process for putting the interim government and some of its domestic critics in one room. | The latest round of talks took place in the eastern city of Kharkiv, following an inaugural session in Kiev on Wednesday that produced little sign of a breakthrough. Western diplomats, however, have hailed the process for putting the interim government and some of its domestic critics in one room. |
| The parties agreed to pass on to parliament a “Memorandum of Understanding to restore order in our country” that could, among other things, include a pledge to change the constitution, condemn the unlawful use of weapons and secure the status of the Russian language. Mikhail Dobkin, a former governor of Kharkiv and a longtime ally of fallen president Viktor Yanukovych, said that if such a bill could be passed, the next step should be the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from the east and a move by separatists to lay down their arms. | |
| Such a deal still appeared far off. But Dobkin said that successful passage of a good faith measure in parliament would send the right message. | |
| “No trust, no solutions,” Dobkin said. | |
| On Saturday, participants again took turns venting, expressing divergent views in front of rolling cameras. Easterners complained of Kiev’s high-handed treatment of their region, while officials of the interim government extended an olive branch, promising to address demands for decentralizing power by ceding more authority to Ukraine’s regional capitals. | On Saturday, participants again took turns venting, expressing divergent views in front of rolling cameras. Easterners complained of Kiev’s high-handed treatment of their region, while officials of the interim government extended an olive branch, promising to address demands for decentralizing power by ceding more authority to Ukraine’s regional capitals. |
| The transfer of some power is a key demand, particularly in the heavily ethnic Russian east. But just how to carry it out, as well as how much power to cede, remains hotly in debate. | The transfer of some power is a key demand, particularly in the heavily ethnic Russian east. But just how to carry it out, as well as how much power to cede, remains hotly in debate. |
| Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at the talks that “power must be decentralized,” but he warned against moving toward full federalization, as many in the east advocate. Such a move, he and others argued, would serve only to strengthen the fiefdoms of power across Ukraine, where governors have often used their positions to create bastions of corruption. | Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at the talks that “power must be decentralized,” but he warned against moving toward full federalization, as many in the east advocate. Such a move, he and others argued, would serve only to strengthen the fiefdoms of power across Ukraine, where governors have often used their positions to create bastions of corruption. |
| Under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a Vienna-based body that includes European powers as well as the United States and Russia, the talks are being strongly supported by the West as a way to start a national dialogue on the future of Ukraine following the political upheaval of recent months. | Under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a Vienna-based body that includes European powers as well as the United States and Russia, the talks are being strongly supported by the West as a way to start a national dialogue on the future of Ukraine following the political upheaval of recent months. |
| The talks are also aimed at de-escalating tensions in the troubled east, where pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings and clashed with the Ukrainian military. The armed separatists, however, are not taking part in the talks, and it remained unclear to what extent representatives from the east could influence the separatists to lay down their arms. | The talks are also aimed at de-escalating tensions in the troubled east, where pro-Russian separatists have seized government buildings and clashed with the Ukrainian military. The armed separatists, however, are not taking part in the talks, and it remained unclear to what extent representatives from the east could influence the separatists to lay down their arms. |
| The roundtable talks took place as separatist forces in the east said three people, including two girls, had been killed Saturday in a clash at a roadblock outside Slovyansk, Interfax reported. The news service, citing unnamed sources, said two pro-Ukrainian militants in a silver Volvo attempted to evade the checkpoint at a high speed and struck the girls. Pro-Russian gunmen opened fire, killing one of the pro-Ukrainian occupants of the vehicle. | The roundtable talks took place as separatist forces in the east said three people, including two girls, had been killed Saturday in a clash at a roadblock outside Slovyansk, Interfax reported. The news service, citing unnamed sources, said two pro-Ukrainian militants in a silver Volvo attempted to evade the checkpoint at a high speed and struck the girls. Pro-Russian gunmen opened fire, killing one of the pro-Ukrainian occupants of the vehicle. |
| There were also skirmishes in the Hayovy section of Luhansk and other districts, according to the news service. | There were also skirmishes in the Hayovy section of Luhansk and other districts, according to the news service. |
| Pro-Russian rebels, meanwhile, freed a leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic from a unit of Ukrainian border guards who were holding him, Interfax reported Saturday. | Pro-Russian rebels, meanwhile, freed a leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic from a unit of Ukrainian border guards who were holding him, Interfax reported Saturday. |
| Valery Bolotov, the “people’s governor” of the insurgent Luhansk, had been detained at the Dovzhansky checkpoint about 5:45 a.m., the news service said, citing unidentified sources in the Ukrainian State Border Service. | Valery Bolotov, the “people’s governor” of the insurgent Luhansk, had been detained at the Dovzhansky checkpoint about 5:45 a.m., the news service said, citing unidentified sources in the Ukrainian State Border Service. |
| Interfax said the border guards asked for assistance from Ukraine’s security forces and unspecified law enforcement agencies, but their call went unheeded. About two hours later, a band of 100 armed men showed up and released Bolotov after “a fierce fight,” the news service said, without giving further specifics about the clash. The news service did not report any casualties. | Interfax said the border guards asked for assistance from Ukraine’s security forces and unspecified law enforcement agencies, but their call went unheeded. About two hours later, a band of 100 armed men showed up and released Bolotov after “a fierce fight,” the news service said, without giving further specifics about the clash. The news service did not report any casualties. |
| Kunkle reported from Donetsk. | Kunkle reported from Donetsk. |