KYIV. Nov 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service is doing its utmost to prevent violence and foreign interference in Ukraine's internal affairs, and will attempt to preserve the territorial integrity of the country, according to an official statement received by Interfax.
"The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service as a special government institution is operating solely in the framework of the constitution and acting legislation relying on the fundamental principle of protecting the interests of the Ukrainian people," the statement says.
"Hoping that all political forces without exception understand the reasons for the non-interference of the service in political processes, the service reaffirms that the efforts of Ukrainian intelligence at this crucial time of trials are aimed at preventing a violent course of events, averting harmful outside interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine and as a result preserving the territorial integrity of our state and the unity of the Ukrainian nation," the statement says.
"We are convinced that the successful fulfillment of the said tasks of the service will be the best guarantee of the protection of the rights and freedoms of our citizens, including the right to honest and free elections," the statement says.
"Any calls for citizens to move over to one side or the other irrespective of the reasoning, especially in the form of public calls, will be regarded by intelligence officers as provocative and aimed at undermining the system of government," the statement says.
"The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service does not have and will not have a different position than the one that serves the interests of the nation. It does not have a different legal field for its activities except the existing one, a different future for its fatherland than independent and united Ukraine," the statement says.