INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014

Ukraine army calls for ‘urgent’ steps

KIEV: ’s military yesterday called on lation of the confrontation threatens the was also due to meet Germany’s President ed yesterday that Kerry’s planned meetings, President to take “urgent country’s territorial integrity”. “Servicemen Joachim Gauck and Foreign Minister Frank- which are also expected to include Ukraine’s steps” to ease turmoil in the country, weigh- and employees of Ukraine’s armed forces... Walter Steinmeier, along with EU foreign pro-opposition pop star , were a “cir- ing in for the first time on the ex-Soviet have called on the commander-in-chief to affairs chief Catherine Ashton. cus”. The announcement of the Kerry meet- nation’s worst crisis since independence. The take urgent steps within the limits of existing The meetings are likely to elicit fury from ing came hours after Yanukovych savaged army’s call on the embattled leader, who on legislation with a view to stabilising the situa- the “irresponsible” opposition for inflaming Thursday took indefinite sick leave, came as tion in the country and reaching consent in tensions. protesters refused to leave occupied munici- society,” it said. Opposition supporters are refusing to pal buildings in Kiev and as the West prepared The outcome of the crisis will likely deter- leave their protest camp on Kiev’s central to receive opposition leaders at the weekend. mine whether Ukraine will revert to close ties square despite a string of concessions from It also came as a prominent opposition with Moscow or move toward closer integra- the authorities, including a promised activist who went missing more than a week tion with the West and the two sides have amnesty for jailed demonstrators and ago re-appeared bloodied and disfigured, traded accusations of trying to influence Kiev Yanukovych’s acceptance of his prime minis- saying he was tortured by unidentified since the protests started. Ukrainian opposi- ter’s resignation. The protest movement’s assailants before being dumped in a forest in tion leaders including boxer-turned-politician leaders claim that abuse and beatings of the freezing cold. The Ukrainian army has today are due to meet US activists are widespread. Prominent Ukrainian previously said it would not interfere in the Secretary of State John Kerry for the first time, opposition activist Dmytro Bulatov, who protests, which erupted in November after a meeting sure to infuriate Moscow, which went missing more than a week ago, reap- Yanukovych scrapped an integration deal has repeatedly warned against foreign inter- peared Thursday night, saying he was blind- with the European Union in favour of closer ference in its former satellite. Dmytro Bulatov folded and tortured by abductors who cut off ties with Kiev’s historical master Moscow. The The announcement of the meeting, on the his ear and drove nails through his hands unrest has since spiralled into an uprising sidelines of a security conference in Munich, the Kremlin following warnings by President before dumping him in a forest. “My hands... demanding the president’s removal. came as the White House said it was consult- Vladimir Putin against foreign interference in they crucified me, nailed me, cut my ear off, The defence ministry said in a statement ing with Congress over possible sanctions on the ex-Soviet country’s worst crisis since its cut my face,” Bulatov told Channel 5 televi- the seizure of government buildings was Ukraine. Opposition leader 1991 independence. Russia’s outspoken sion, his face swollen and covered in caked unacceptable and warned that “further esca- of the main opposition Batkivshchyna party, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweet- blood. “Thank God I am alive.” —AFP Knox, Sollecito convicted again of Briton’s murder Retrial reverses earlier appeal judgment FLORENCE, Italy: American student ing the formalities for the surrender of attacked the “overzealous and intransi- Amanda Knox and her former Italian his passport at the police station. gent prosecution” and “prejudiced and boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found Under the terms of his sentence, narrow-minded investigation” and said guilty on Thursday for the second time authorities were confiscating his pass- she had been wrongfully prosecuted. of the 2007 murder of Briton Meredith port and have instructed him not to Gabriele Giambrone, managing Kercher, in a retrial that reversed an leave Italy after the verdict. For the partner of Anglo-Italian law firm BRIZE NORTON: British Prime Minister David earlier appeal judgment. The verdict, moment he is free to travel around Giambrone Law, said it was “very Cameron (left) speaks as French President Francois after 12 hours of deliberations, con- inside the country. unlikely” Knox would be extradited to Hollande looks on during a press conference at a firmed Knox and Sollecito’s original For Kercher’s family, who had serve her sentence. “The US will do one-day summit in Oxfordshire yesterday. —AFP 2009 conviction. Knox’s sentence was pushed to have the appeal verdict everything to protect their own citi- increased to 28 years and six months Hollande deals blow and Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years. Knox did not attend the retrial, to Cameron EU plans however, having gone home to the United States after the previous appeal. BRIZE NORTON, United Kingdom: French President Francois “I am frightened and saddened by this Hollande dealt a blow yesterday to Prime Minister David Cameron’s unjust verdict. Having been found hopes of renegotiating Britain’s membership of the EU before a refer- innocent before, I expected better from endum in 2017, saying treaty change was “not a priority”. At an Anglo- the Italian justice system,” Knox said in French summit held at an airbase in Oxfordshire, west of London, a statement. Hollande indicated he might be open to treaty change in the future to Speaking on US television a day ensure the eurozone was “better coordinated and better integrated”. after her conviction, the 26-year-old But he added: “We feel that revising the treaty is not a priority for the American said that she would never time being.” willingly return to Italy to serve the 28- Under pressure from eurosceptics in his Conservative party, 1/2 year sentence handed down by Cameron has promised to renegotiate Britain’s position in the judges. “I’m going to fight this until the European Union and put the new deal to a referendum after the next very end. And it’s not right, and it’s not election in 2015. Hollande said he “perfectly respected” Britain’s right fair and I’m going to do everything that to hold a vote, but added: “We can’t impose the British choice on I can,” she told ABC News’ “Good Europe.” Cameron brushed off the comments, however, saying he Morning America” program yesterday. was optimistic of achieving the change he wanted and insisting noth- Sollecito left the court hours before the verdict was delivered and was ing would stop him holding a referendum provided he is re-elected NEW YORK: Amanda Knox prepares to leave the set following a televi- next year. “My position absolutely remains that we want to see those found by police in the early hours of changes, we want that renegotiation... that renegotiation will involve yesterday between the northern towns sion interview yesterday. —AP elements of treaty change,” Cameron told a joint press conference. of Udine and Tarvisio, less than 10 km At their first summit since Hollande was elected in 2012, the two from Italy’s border with Austria. It was overturned, the reaction was equally zens, they will mount every challenge leaders sought to emphasise their shared European goals, notably not immediately clear what he was raw. “We didn’t know what to expect. possible so I don’t think she’ll serve any to improve growth and create jobs. The Conservative prime minis- doing in the region. Italian media said We are still in shock,” said Stephanie time in an Italian jail,” said Giambrone, ter also praised his Socialist counterpart’s recent moves to boost he briefly crossed into Austria before Kercher, Meredith’s sister, after the rul- who is not involved in the case. The US the struggling French economy. “I believe the plans the president returning to Italy, but his lawyer denied ing was read. If final appeals are heard, State Department declined comment recently announced to cut taxes on business, reduce employment he was trying to escape, having left neither Knox nor Sollecito, who was on the matter, given “that that there is costs and remove unnecessary regulation are the right way to Thursday’s hearing early due to stress. banned from leaving Italy, would face room for appeal in this case”. Legal boost investment and create jobs,” Cameron said. The British leader “Raffaele Sollecito had no intention arrest or jail time until a final verdict by experts estimate the case could contin- also praised Hollande’s “courageous and determined leadership” in of fleeing. He went to the police station the highest court. Knox, who is in the ue until the end of 2015, although it Mali and the Central African Republic, promising further logistical in Udine voluntarily,” lawyer Luca Maori United States and would have to be could be brought forward if fast- support. —AFP said. He said Sollecito was still complet- extradited to serve her sentence, tracked. —Reuters