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| Ukraine crisis: Russia rules out new Geneva talks | Ukraine crisis: Russia rules out new Geneva talks |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Russia's foreign minister has ruled out holding fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis, unless pro-Russian opposition groups are involved. | Russia's foreign minister has ruled out holding fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis, unless pro-Russian opposition groups are involved. |
| Sergei Lavrov added there was no point as an April accord between the US, EU and Russia had not been implemented. | Sergei Lavrov added there was no point as an April accord between the US, EU and Russia had not been implemented. |
| He spoke after a Council of Europe meeting which was expected to support Ukraine's plans for a 25 May election. | He spoke after a Council of Europe meeting which was expected to support Ukraine's plans for a 25 May election. |
| But Mr Lavrov called an election "unusual" at a time when the army was being used against the population. | But Mr Lavrov called an election "unusual" at a time when the army was being used against the population. |
| Ukraine was ready to back a new round of talks in Geneva, acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said, as long as Moscow supported presidential elections. | Ukraine was ready to back a new round of talks in Geneva, acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said, as long as Moscow supported presidential elections. |
| He later appealed for international observers to be sent to Ukraine to monitor the May election. | He later appealed for international observers to be sent to Ukraine to monitor the May election. |
| OSCE Chairman Didier Burkhalter said there should be a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of the poll - as holding it was very difficult in the current situation, the AFP news agency reports. | OSCE Chairman Didier Burkhalter said there should be a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of the poll - as holding it was very difficult in the current situation, the AFP news agency reports. |
| In other developments in Ukraine: | In other developments in Ukraine: |
| 'Added value' | 'Added value' |
| At a news conference in Vienna on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov said holding further international talks on Ukraine would be like "going round in circles". | At a news conference in Vienna on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov said holding further international talks on Ukraine would be like "going round in circles". |
| Instead, the government in Kiev and its Western backers needed to implement the steps to resolve the crisis agreed in Geneva last month, he said. | |
| These involved all parties, including the separatists in eastern Ukraine, refraining from violence, vacating occupied buildings and being disarmed in return for an amnesty. | These involved all parties, including the separatists in eastern Ukraine, refraining from violence, vacating occupied buildings and being disarmed in return for an amnesty. |
| The 25 May presidential election was called after pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by pro-Western protesters in February. | The 25 May presidential election was called after pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by pro-Western protesters in February. |
| "Scheduling an election during a time when the army is being used against a part of the population is not conventional - it's not Afghanistan," Mr Lavrov noted. | "Scheduling an election during a time when the army is being used against a part of the population is not conventional - it's not Afghanistan," Mr Lavrov noted. |
| Earlier, French President Francois Hollande warned there would be "chaos and the risk of civil war" if the election did not take place. | Earlier, French President Francois Hollande warned there would be "chaos and the risk of civil war" if the election did not take place. |
| Kiev has rejected the pro-Russian activists' demands for greater autonomy for eastern regions, fearing they could lead to the break-up of the country or more regions being annexed. | Kiev has rejected the pro-Russian activists' demands for greater autonomy for eastern regions, fearing they could lead to the break-up of the country or more regions being annexed. |
| Separatists in Donetsk have proclaimed a "People's Republic" and are preparing to hold an independence referendum on Sunday. | Separatists in Donetsk have proclaimed a "People's Republic" and are preparing to hold an independence referendum on Sunday. |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry called the plan "contrived and bogus", and said the US rejected it as an "illegal effort to further divide Ukraine". | US Secretary of State John Kerry called the plan "contrived and bogus", and said the US rejected it as an "illegal effort to further divide Ukraine". |