I had written another blog for this week. But it didn’t seem right to publish something interesting but not especially important, while far more serious events are taking place in a neighbouring country.
It is part of diplomatic work to keep an eye on those countries next to the ones you serve in. What goes on there might affect what is going on in your country.
The recent protests and events in Ukraine are serious by any measure. A line seems to have been crossed with the deaths this week. That one of those who died was a Belarusian citizen is all the more poignant.
This is a moment of truth for a nation. No one wants to see violence on the streets, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the dispute. We don’t want to see more deaths. It would help the situation if there could be transparent and thorough investigations of wrong-doing in all cases.
As outsiders, we don’t want to make the position worse. We want to see a resolution of the crisis through dialogue. So my government has issued statements to encourage everyone to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and resolve the dispute peacefully.
One of our priorities in such a crisis is to provide advice to British citizens who may be caught up in the protests in Ukraine. We have extensive pages of advice on our website for British travellers abroad. In addition to general advice for all travel, we have country specific advice on all countries. It is at times like this that our colleagues will be updating it regularly for Ukraine.
Like us, our colleagues in Kyiv also provide information via social media such as Facebook, and my opposite number also uses Twitter. They are, of course, very busy now. In a worst case scenario, they may need our help.
I very much hope that we won’t need to help them. I hope that all sides in Ukraine can show restraint, and work to resolve the crisis peacefully.
This is the time to send our best wishes to all of our neighbours in Ukraine.
Dear Bruce , I ´m really sorry to write another comment to this same topic.
Hope you understand it.
BUT : You surely do know of what has happen in the Ukraine since last Wednesday. New riots /demonstrations and , according to BBC LONDON , another 3 people killed.
Well , what I also and really mean is , that the best news (yesterday ) might surely give the people of the Ukraine (PLUS THE BELORUSSIONS TOO !) new hope. For If it ´s really true that the complete “PSEUDO”-Government in KYIV has already started to retire I do think that the oposition ( incl. ex-worldmaster box – champion V. Klitchko) has NOW best chances of becoming an important part of a new, democratic elected and “PRO- EUROPEAN” government . This means in my way of thinking :
4 different sides will benefit ´cause of this fact : The people of the Ukraine, their new government but also Belarussia and – I.e. – the Belarussian economic system. Just ´cause all of them will have enormous more possibilities for they are free to make their (democratic ) choices for the own way of living.
“democracy isn ´t such a good political – system . But I don ´t know a better one so far – Demokratie ist kein besonders gutes polit- system . Aber bis jetzt gibts kein besseres…”. (Sir Winston Churchill after the end of WW 2 )
Best wishes , take care & a nice weekend , liebe Grüßle ond & an scheens Wochaendle ,
Ingo-Steven Wais ; Stuttgart
Dear Bruce,
1st. of all I do hope that ‘s not too late to wish you a healthy and
successfully 2014.
Well, your most important (and saddest ) lines are to me the the
ones about the (first ?) deaths in Kyiv.
For I think that there might be a red line crossed.
Plus : It ‘s a well known fact that such violence will always
causing new violence. The so-called spiral of violence. That ‘s
why I like yr. statement “..keep an eye on those countries next…” . For as a “NEIGHBOUR” you might have also more influence among each other.
(To all sides, government and opposition). Logical result: Much bigger chances to stop such conflicts or at least to get all sides at the round table for negotiations.
Best wishes , liebe Grüßle, Ingo-Steven