"Crimea was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine", PM said at the UN Security Council in New York

“Crimea was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine. We will never recognize any kind of hand-made and artificial, and falsified so-called referendums”, the PM emphasized, addressing the UN Security Council in New York, on Thursday, March 13.

The PM stressed that the Ukrainian government was ready to hold a nation-wide dialogue in order to increase the powers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea – “in the Ukrainian parliament through the constitutional means and tools”.

Also addressing the Council, Prime Minister A. Yatseniuk said that the Ukrainian government was committed to execute all international obligations: “We adhere to all bilateral and multilateral treaties that Ukraine signed and ratified.”

As the PM underlined, the Ukrainian government would protect and defend every minority in Ukraine. “We will protect everyone who is the Ukrainian citizen”.

“We stick to the principle of the Ukrainian constitution that says that except Ukrainian language the only language that is indicated in the Article 10 of the Ukrainian constitution is a Russian one”, he noted.

The PM emphasized that this government was ready for an open dialogue. “We extended our hand to Russia, but instead we got a barrel”.

“But we still believe that Russia is ready to negotiate and is ready to tackle this dramatic conflict not only in our bilateral relations but in the entire Europe with the peaceful means”, the PM stressed.

“We ask for truth. The history will judge us. We have a chance to make this history. We will do whatever we can in order to preserve the peace and stability. And in order to save my country”, he added.