“The letter of three” does not express will of Ukrainian people – opposition appeals to NATO

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During a parliamentary session, Member of the Ukrainian Supreme Rada, member of Regions Party faction Alexander Yefremov announced a joint statement of the Regions Party and the Communist Party factions urging to recall a letter of the Ukrainian leadership to the NATO secretary-general asking to let Ukraine join the NATO membership action plan.

According to a REGNUM correspondent, the statement says that “signing by Yushchenko, Timoshenko, Yatsenyuk of the letter addressed to the NATO leadership actually means a start for the NATO membership procedures. We are annoyed at the fact that the Ukrainian people learnt about it from Senator Lugar. This shows that the government has taken the adventurous route. Being afraid of its own people, it secretly by three behind the closed doors has been determining the future of our country. Meanwhile, neither the parliament, nor other collective bodies considered the issue. Grounding on opinion of most Ukrainian citizens, our voters, we claim that ‘the Letter of Three’ is recalled. We address the NATO leadership saying that ‘the Letter of Three’ does not reflect the will of the Ukrainian people, is not a subject of political consensus; instead, it brings additional escalation of tension to Ukrainian society, which will imminently result in worsening the relations with the North-Atlantic Alliance. In this connection, the Regions Party and Communist Party factions decided to block the work of the Ukrainian parliament today, on January 18, and calling the signers – Yushchenko, Timoshenko, Yatsenyuk – to recall the letter about Ukraine joining NATO.”