Pro-Russian rebels lower demands in peace talks

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and JIM HEINTZ

MOSCOW (AP) — Pro-Russian rebels softened their demand for full independence Monday, saying they would respect Ukraine's sovereignty in exchange for autonomy — a shift that reflects Moscow's desire to strike a deal at a new round of peace talks.

The insurgents' platform, released at the start of Monday's negotiations in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, represented a significant change in their vision for the future of Ukraine's eastern, mainly Russian-speaking region.

It remains unclear, however, whether the talks can reach a compromise amid the brutal fighting that has continued in eastern Ukraine. On Monday, the rebels pushed Ukrainian government forces from an airport near Luhansk, the second-largest rebel-held city, the latest in a series of military gains.

The peace talks in Minsk follow last week's meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko. The negotiations involve former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma; Russia's ambassador to Ukraine; an envoy from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and representatives of the rebels.

FULL story at link.



Former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma walks out of a car in Minsk, Belarus, on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. A so-called contact group meets for talks in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, to reach agreement on a cease-fire. The group, which last met in late July, includes representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. (AP Photo/Dmitry Brushko)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140901/eu--ukraine-459a52c291.html

[msongs]

1. "pro-russian rebels" lol. code for russian army forces nt

[geek tragedy]

2. autonomy for whom?

It's one thing if there are elections monitored by observers with the full participation of the citizenry free from violence and coercion.

Quite another to simply let the armed gangs who kicked this off rule that territory at the end of their rifles.

[another_liberal]

3. This news story is a bit confusing . . .

The Separatists have never asked for anything but autonomy within Ukraine. They have not asked for anything else since the beginning of the fighting until today.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. You are completely wrong

24 May, 19:58

Donetsk, Lugansk People's Republics unite in Novorossiya

The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics have merged in one state.

The Donetsk People’s Republic’s twitter reports that the two republics have signed their merger in one state, Novorossiya.
...
People’s governor of Donetsk region Pavel Gubarev wrote on his page in Facebook that the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as independent states, do not recognize the president and parliament of the Ukraine. Gubarev said that Novorossiya will recognize the elected Ukrainian president only if independence of the Donetsk republic is recognized.

The second condition is immediate withdrawal of troops from the territories of the people’s republics and immediate ceasefire, Pavel Gubarev said.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_05_24/Donetsk-Lugansk-Peoples-Republics-unite-in-Novorossiya-1012/

They didn't just 'ask' for independence; they proclaimed it. That was after the rebels in Donetsk proclaimed their independence a couple of weeks earlier: http://news.sky.com/story/1259601/pro-russians-ukraines-donetsk-independent , and Lugansk: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/12/luhanks-independence-ukraine_n_5310502.html

How on earth could you not have known that? I thought you had been following this news story.

[Igel]

5. He can't be wrong.

And quoting official press releases from the rebels won't matter. If it's not faked, it's forged.

When somebody posts something anonymously and Anna or RT picks it up, it's truth. Even if it's identical to something broadcast years ago and hundreds of miles from Europe. The key is whether it gets through the approved-truth filter. It can be false, but perfectly true. Now, even if it's documented independently three ways, it's still false if it doesn't fit the narrative of the pure and righteous.

Very Soviet.

[ballyhoo]

6. Circuitous logic, explaining nothing.

[ballyhoo]

7. How about: There may be some hope here for both

adversaries doing something right that helps both of them in some way.