Turkish FM Davutoğlu warns over partition of Ukraine

ANKARA

A handout photo shows Ukraine's new prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (R) shaking hands with Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu prior to their talks in Kiev on March 1, 2014.

A possible partition of Ukraine will also affect Georgia, Moldova and Belarus, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on March 2.

Davutoğlu held a telephone-conference March 1 with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, along with other foreign ministers from the U.S., France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Italy and the U.K. The ministers discussed possible solutions to the rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia, according to diplomatic sources. On the same day, the foreign minister met top Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s unity, stability and well-balanced healthy relations. He also underlined the importance of Crimea and Crimean Tatars for Turkey.

“If Ukraine breaks up, this will not be limited to that country. Georgia, Moldova and Belarus will be affected instantly,” Davutoğlu said at a televised interview yesterday, adding Russia has been encouraged by its veto power in the United Nations Security Council over the Syrian crisis.

The top diplomat said Russia’s strategic interests in Ukraine and Crimea should be recognized, but it was unacceptable that the internal balances of a sovereign state would be rearranged based on another state’s interests.

Davutoğlu also emphasized the importance of the Ukrainian Parliament. “It is crucial that Parliament is working. The Parliament is the thing that will overcome the crisis. The continuation of the functional structure of Parliament represents the basis of the legitimacy,” Davutoğlu said.