(Vatican Radio) The European Union's envoy Catherine Ashton says she has received
assurances from Ukraine's government that it remains interested in signing an association
agreement with the EU.
Her comments in the capital Kyiv follow clashes
between pro-EU demonstrators and riot police, violence she condemns.
Ashton,
the EU's foreign policy chief, said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has told
her he wants a strong relation with the European Union.
“I believe he
should sign as soon as possible, because I think it’s in the interest of Ukraine to
do so,” Ashton told reporters.
“I have to accept that what the president
says to me is what he is saying to me for me to carry back the message.”
However
Ashton said she also discussed with the president a bloody police crackdown on pro-EU
demonstrators.
"I made it perfectly clear that this is not the way to go
forward,” she added. “I made it perfectly clear that we expect to see discussion and
dialogue with people who are using their right to assembly to make a peaceful demonstration.”
After
talking with Ashton, President Yanukovych urged the opposition to meet him and several
detained demonstrators were reportedly freed.
“To reach a compromise I’m calling
on the opposition not to refuse, not to go along the path of the stand-off and ultimatums,"
he said in televised remarks.
"I am assuring you that the authorities will
act only within the framework of the law and will never use force against peaceful
gatherings.”
Yet his offer was rejected by the opposition and thousands
of Ukrainians who rebuilt barricades that had been torn down hour earlier by riot
police.
"You can expect anything from him. He says one thing and he does
totally another thing. So you can see day and night politics,” a demonstrator shouted.
He
and many other protesters demand the resignation of the government following its initial
rejection of an EU association agreement.
Ukraine's leadership is also
under American pressure to seek peace, with the U.S. State Department warning it is
considering economic sanctions against Ukraine.