Ukraine to ratify EU pact, offer rebels self-rule

[candelista]

Source: AFP

Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine is set to ratify a disputed EU agreement and offer limited self-rule to parts of the separatist east as it moves to turn the page on the bloodiest chapter of its post-Soviet history.

Lawmakers in the Ukrainian and European parliaments are scheduled to sign the 1,200-page political and economic association agreement during a live video hookup that begins on Tuesday, at 1000 GMT.

But the historic occasion has been muted by the two sides' decision to bow to Russian pressure and delay until 2016 applying the free trade rules that pulled Ukraine out of a rival union being built by the Kremlin.

The rejection of the same deal by Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych in November triggered the bloody chain of events that led to his February ouster and Russia's subsequent seizure of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.
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Poroshenko still intends to submit to parliament Tuesday a peace package that offers three years of limited self-rule to parts of the rebel-held territory.

It also crucially guarantees the right for Russian to be spoken in all state institutions -- a particularly sensitive issue in the war zone.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/us-led-military-exercises-due-begin-western-ukraine-051734958.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. This may be a positive development.

Thanks for the thread, candelista.

[Cayenne]

2. Did the IMF approve of this?

[Demeter]

3. Good luck with that

Ukraine will be unsigning it, once they figure out how screwed they are.

[pampango]

4. It's what most Ukrainians have wanted all along.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/05/08/new-poll-shows-eastern-ukraines-separatists-are-wrong/

[dipsydoodle]

5. And gradually become owned / privatised.

Some EU rules / conditions already in place

[pampango]

7. In the long run a "European" life style seems better to them than a "Russian" one.

At any rate, they are getting what they they say they want.

Getting to their goal will be a lot more painful than many of them realize but then things are quite 'painful' there already. Many of us on the outside may "know" they are making a mistake but that does not count for much.

[cosmicone]

8. So based upon a biased poll without criticizing its methodology

you firmly believe what all Ukrainians want?

People don't ever know what is deep inside these agreements and which are financially better for them. People just think that EU is prosperous and that's how they want to be.

If you asked in northern Myanmar "would you like to be like EU or like China", most people will say EU without ever setting foot on Europe nor understanding what it entails. Just based upon perception.

[pampango]

9. Pew Research is not a 'biased' polling organization. Do you have other polls that disagree? If

you wish to criticize Pew's methodology, by all means do so. If it was a flawed poll or there is a more accurate one out there, please proceed. But don't just throw out "biased poll" and "criticizing its methodology" without some evidence. One may not like a particular poll's results but that, by itself, does not mean it is 'flawed'.

...you firmly believe what all Ukrainians want?

I made no claim regarding what "all Ukrainians" want. I simply posted the poll results with the percentages favoring each option. That's what polls do. "All Ukrainians" did not favor any single option. Neither the Pew organization nor I made any conclusion as to what "all Ukrainians" want.

People don't ever know what is deep inside these agreements and which are financially better for them. People just think that EU is prosperous and that's how they want to be.

Indeed the citizens in no country every know "what is deep inside these agreements" and "which are financially better for them". However, in a democracy citizens have the right to have an opinion and have a say in what their government decides to do. Would it be better for people to just go about their lives, trust that politicians know best and just accept that they will do what is best for us?

They are right that, in general, Europe is much more prosperous, more egalitarian and has more liberal social policies than Russia. I would not blame a gay, liberal or female Ukrainian for looking at Russia's domestic legislation and preferring Europe.

[Duckhunter935]

6. So Ukraine

Gave the rebels what they wanted, self rule, local elections for government posts, special status for rebel areas and special status for Russian language. Lets see what Ukraine will get back other than attacks breaking the agreed to cease fire.

[pampango]

10. Pro-EU Ukrainians outraged by trade deal delay

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is being criticised by his supporters for bowing to Russian pressure and postponing the implementation of an EU free trade deal. "I am speechless. The last time this happened, we had EuroMaidan," central Dnipropetrovsk region deputy governor Svyatoslav Oliynik wrote in a Facebook post.

http://euobserver.com/tickers/125628

By bowing "to Russian pressure" and delaying the effective date of the agreement until 2016, Poroshenko has set off the folks on the other side who do not want a delay. A balancing act is what is required.