MINSK - It is possible to resolve the Ukrainian crisis only if the use of force stops and the Minsk agreements are honored "by deeds, not by words," Uzbek President Islam Karimov said.
“As to the solution of the Ukrainian problem, we believe that the rejection of force as a method of solving any problem, the exclusive use of political means based on fundamental norms of international laws and the UN Charter, and the unconditional fulfillment of the Minsk ceasefire agreements by all sides by deeds, not by words are the only way to create conditions necessary for the negotiations about peace in Ukraine,” the Uzbek president said at the CIS summit.
He regretted that the discussion of “serious political issues, which are apparent and cannot be overlooked, has yet to begin in the negotiating process.”
“Our meeting is being held against the backdrop of a rapidly changing international situation, mounting geopolitical tensions and political confrontation, and the ongoing global financial and economic crisis whose end or alleviation is not yet in sight,” Karimov said.
In addition, “religious fanaticism is radicalizing and growing and conflicts are escalating in the near and far neighborhood of ours,” he stressed.
“Clearly, we cannot help but be concerned about the scope of spreading violence, the real threats of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking and the aggressive televised appeals of certain politicians and political entrepreneurs who, I would say, have blown their lid and felt as if they were masters of the situation, for escalating tensions even further and pushing the confrontation in certain countries into a bloodbath,” the Uzbek president said.
It is not hard to imagine tragic consequences the underestimation of the alarming situation may have, he said, citing the war in Afghanistan as an example.
