GENEVA. April 18 (Interfax) - The new Kyiv authorities should show initiative, hear concerns of all the Ukrainian regions and start negotiating with them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"It is necessary, and we have emphasized this especially, that first of all, those who took power in Kyiv following the revolt - if they think they represent interests of all Ukrainians - they should show initiative, they should give a hand to the regions, hear their concerns, sit with them and start negotiating with them on resolving certain security issues in this or that city or village and on true constitutional reform," Lavrov said at a news conference in Geneva on Thursday.
"The constitutional reform will be held anyway; there is no doubt about that and we have received such assurances primarily from our U.S. partners who have a crucial influence on the incumbent Kyiv administration. And we understand that the reform will achieve its objective and will fully provide the rights of all regions, all ethnic groups and all language minorities," the Russian foreign minister continued.
"Russia is extremely concerned about the discriminatory attitude of the incumbent authorities towards the Russian and Russian-speaking population, the Russian language and Russian culture," Lavrov emphasized.
"Absolutely disgusting statements have been made at the parliament; members of a party incorporated in the ruling coalition publicly call the people who speak Russian "things" and claim that those who speak Russian must be liquidated," the minister said.
"This is just one of the numerous examples and we have not heard the coalition leaders condemning or rebuffing such statements. I proceed from the premise that all of us will help change that," he underscored.