German public figures have called for restraint and for the Ukrainian crisis to be resolved through a dialogue.
“The St. Petersburg Dialogue, the Eastern Committee of German Economy, the German-Russian Forum and the German-Ukrainian Forum are watching with increasing concern the current crisis in Ukraine, and as its consequence, the dangerous tensions around Crimea, as well as the relations between Ukraine and Russia and between Russia and the EU,” according to a joint statement, a copy of which was obtained by Interfax on Friday.
The statement was signed by the chairman of the St. Petersburg Dialogue, the chairman of the German-Ukrainian Forum and the head of the Eastern Committee of German Economy.
“The partnership, the political, economic and cultural exchange between the countries could be affected by it. The main task for those involved and affected by this situation should the removal of tensions by all the parties during the current and future talks,” the statement said.
“The military-political and economic measures” which aggravate the conflict, must be recalled and replaced by all the parties with measures to end the conflict, such as organizing a contact group, the authors said.
Over the past few decades, the mechanisms whose leaders signed this document have thought it their historical duty to build political, public and economic relations between the countries, and to strengthen dialogue between civil societies, the statement said.
“Dialogue at all possible levels at this moment of the crisis is the only way to satisfy the various interests concerning the European-Russian relations. We are asking all the parties to take joint measures so as to use this dialogue, which has evolved for decades, in searching for consensus,” the statement said.
