BREAKING NEWS

Ukraine police give protesters deadline, PM brands them 'Nazis'

By REUTERS

DECEMBER 5, 2013 21:47

KIEV - Ukrainian police on Thursday warned pro-Europe protesters they faced a "harsh" crackdown if they did not end their occupation of public offices in Kiev, while President Viktor Yanukovich's prime minister denounced them as "Nazis and criminals".

The authorities issued the tough warnings as foreign ministers held a European security conference in a city seething with unrest over the Ukrainian government's U-turn away from Europe back towards Russia.

Germany's visiting foreign minister used the occasion to warn Ukraine against violently cracking down on protesters. Russia's responded by accusing EU officials of "hysteria".

Kiev's Nov. 21 decision to abandon a trade and integration deal with the EU and pursue closer economic ties with Moscow brought hundreds of thousands of demonstrators into the streets over the weekend. Protesters have since blockaded the main government headquarters and occupied Kiev's city hall.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov defended his government's handling of the crisis. He clashed sharply with Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who has used his visit to Kiev for a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to show solidarity with the demonstrators.

"Nazis, extremists and criminals cannot be, in any way, our partners in 'Eurointegration'," the government website quoted Azarov as telling Westerwelle.

Westerwelle expressed concern about police behavior at the protests, when dozens of people were severely beaten.

"Recent events, in particular the violence against peaceful demonstrators last Saturday in Kiev worry me greatly," said Westerwelle. "The way Ukraine responds to the pro-European rallies is a yardstick for how seriously Ukraine takes the shared values of the OSCE."

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