BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Ukraine’s new president Petro Poroshenko has called for dialogue with the country’s eastern regions, and for armed groups there to lay down their weapons. Poroshenko’s message was during his inaugural address, after he took the oath of office in parliament on Saturday.
Poroshenko made a strong statement about Crimea, insisting that the peninsula "was, is and will be Ukrainian". He promised amnesty to rebels who "don’t have blood on their hands", and called for dialogue with "peaceful citizens" in the east. But, he said he won’t talk with rebels, labelling them as "gangsters and killers."
Poroshenko also called for early regional elections in the east, and promised to allot new powers to regional governments. But he rejected demands for federalization of Ukraine. The new president said he would also seek early parliamentary elections, giving the reason that "the current composition is not consistent with the nation’s aspirations".
Poroshenko mapped out the start of his work with a plan to bring peace and unity to the country.
"I don’t want war, I’m not seeking revenge. I want peace and I will bring unity to Ukraine. That’s why I’m starting my work with a peace plan. I know that peace is the most important thing the people of Ukraine want now. A head of a state has a wide range of different tools to use in order to ensure territorial integrity and the peaceful life of his citizens," he said.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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