MP Leonid Kozhara, the deputy chairman of the Party of Regions responsible for international politics, who in 1994-1997 served first secretary of the political section of the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, expressed surprise at the desire of the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine to meet in jail former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
"Over 20 years of my diplomatic practice - and I worked in different countries, including for a long time I worked in America - this is the first time when I hear that a foreign diplomat had asked to visit a national of another state in jail," Kozhara said, UKRINFORM reported. "If a national of his state was in jail - that is understandable, it is his job, above all, the consular," he added.
"But since there is a request to visit not his citizens, then it looks a bit surprising, and the question arises: doesn't a particular ambassador or diplomat take a side with the defendant?" the Party of Regions website quoted Kozhara.
Recalling the times of the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, the lawmaker emphasized that at that time no foreign diplomat expressed the desire to attend in the detention center representatives of the Party of Regions, which was then in opposition - Yevhen Kushnariov and Borys Kolesnikov.
So today "the question arises about the possible political bias of the diplomat. But this is in conflict with the essence of diplomacy, the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations," the politician stressed.
Last week UKRINFORM reported that U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv John Tefft asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to give him an opportunity to visit Yulia Tymoshenko in Lukyanivky detention center. The decision on this matter is due to be taken by Kyiv Pechersk District Court, where Tymoshenko trial is in progress.
"Over 20 years of my diplomatic practice - and I worked in different countries, including for a long time I worked in America - this is the first time when I hear that a foreign diplomat had asked to visit a national of another state in jail," Kozhara said, UKRINFORM reported. "If a national of his state was in jail - that is understandable, it is his job, above all, the consular," he added.
"But since there is a request to visit not his citizens, then it looks a bit surprising, and the question arises: doesn't a particular ambassador or diplomat take a side with the defendant?" the Party of Regions website quoted Kozhara.
Recalling the times of the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, the lawmaker emphasized that at that time no foreign diplomat expressed the desire to attend in the detention center representatives of the Party of Regions, which was then in opposition - Yevhen Kushnariov and Borys Kolesnikov.
So today "the question arises about the possible political bias of the diplomat. But this is in conflict with the essence of diplomacy, the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations," the politician stressed.
Last week UKRINFORM reported that U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv John Tefft asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to give him an opportunity to visit Yulia Tymoshenko in Lukyanivky detention center. The decision on this matter is due to be taken by Kyiv Pechersk District Court, where Tymoshenko trial is in progress.
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