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Išbandyti
2012 05 14

Lithuanian Foreign Minister will not join boycott of football championship in Ukraine

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis has said he will not join the boycott of the European Football Championship, part of which will be hosted by Ukraine.
Audronius Ažubalis
Audronius Ažubalis / Andriaus Ufarto/BFL nuotr.

In an interview to Carnegie Europe, Ažubalis said no when asked if he would be joining the boycott of the football games in Ukraine.

"No. Boycotting the football cup, or the Yalta meeting (the annual summit of European leaders) just because Ukraine is considered a bad guy is not the right way to go about things. Despite our misgivings about the present leadership, we must remain engaged. We have to give some kind of perspective to the citizens," the minister said.

Asked what it meant in practical terms, Ažubalis said: "We should work in two ways: encourage the opposition and talk very openly about Tymoshenko’s situation. And we should ratify the Association Treaty."

The Lithuanian foreign affairs minister believes that it would mean a tangible result for the Ukrainian society.

"Cutting off talks about the association agreement would be a big mistake. It would mean leaving Ukraine to Euro Asia. Look, we also strongly disagree with the human rights situation in Ukraine. My President wanted to go to Kharkiv and visit Tymoshenko and then talk to Ukraine’s leaders. These were our conditions," Ažubalis said, adding that it would be quite difficult to reach a common agreement with the European Union on the Ukrainian boycott.

EU foreign ministers are discussing relations with Ukraine ahead of the upcoming European Football Championship and general elections in the country.

Western Europe is considering boycotting Ukraine following the Ukrainian authorities' treatment of opposition representatives, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko whose trial and sentencing has been seen as politically motivated.

Poland and Ukraine will co-host the 2012 European Football Championship starting on 8 June.

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