Slovakia does not recognize the “referendum” in Crimea and its annexation by Russia, Lajčák says

‘We don’t recognize the so-called referendum in Crimea and we don’t recognize the unlawful annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation’, the Slovak Deputy Premier stated.

He also underlined the Slovak party’s stand that ‘only Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have the right to choose their future’.

In addition, Myroslav Lajčák highly appreciated the Ukrainian authorities’ ability of ‘responding to force-based provocations with dignity, restraint and calm’. ‘And this makes Ukraine a moral winner in this difficult time’, the Slovak minister thinks.

As he also stressed, official Bratislava believes that ‘the absolute confrontation should give way to logic of cooperation’.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Kyiv Security Forum agenda is designed for 2 days and offers six panels open to the media representatives. The agenda can be amended, with amendments posted on the Forum’s website.

A separate area (Press Center) will be organized for the press, with equipped workplaces and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as live broadcast of all the Forum panels. In addition, a specially equipped area in the session hall will be reserved for journalists.

The organizers are ready to help arrange individual interviews with and comments from the Forum speakers on advance notice.

The Kyiv Security Forum annual international event, initiated by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007, is a platform for debates on the most pressing security issues in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum’s mission is to increase security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea region, raise awareness about security development among key players, and promote the role of independent and non-governmental actors in setting the security agenda in Europe.

The event is supported by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine, and the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Relations (UK).

For information on the project visit http://ksf.openukraine.org/

The Open Ukraine Foundation is an international charitable foundation established at the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk for strengthening public diplomacy and developing Ukraine’s reputation in the world. The Foundation achieves its goal by implementing the key programs: International Dialogue, Cultural Horizons, and Young Leaders. The Foundation is an organization of a broad circle of charity providers and unites around itself any people who care for Ukraine’s reputation and future.

For more details about the Foundation visit http://openukraine.org.