You're reading: Yatseniuk: Those with weapons in hands not interested in nationwide dialogue, preserving united Ukraine

The Ukrainian authorities continue a nationwide dialogue, however those, who have weapons in their hands, do not want unity in the country, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said.

“We continue the nationwide dialogue. However, those, who are holding
weapons, do not want the unity in the country. Furthermore they are not
talking about how to grant additional powers to these or those regions
or how to defend the rights of ethnic minorities. Their task is to
destroy Ukraine’s independence,” Yatseniuk said at a government meeting
on Wednesday.

A special temporary committee including representatives of all
political forces – Ukraine’s east and west – has been established in the
parliament for this purpose, Yatseniuk said. “Elected mayors of cities,
including of eastern Ukraine, and representatives of the deputy corps
participated in the [committee’s] work. They currently represent our
political opponents but they represent people living in Donetsk or
Luhansk and they have received the mandate of these people. Namely they
have the legitimate right to express the will and interests of eastern
Ukraine,” Yatseniuk said.