Rinat enters the fray

Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM Statement

25.01.2014

Civil unrest increased in the country over the past week and led to loss of life.

We must voice our position as human life is the absolute value.

We wish to express our deepest condolences to the families and relatives of those who lost their lives.

Business cannot keep silent when people are killed, a real danger of breakup of the country emerges, when a political crisis can lead to a deep economic recession and thus inevitably result in lower standards of living. 

It is only by peaceful action that the political crisis can be resolved. Any use of force and weapons is unacceptable. With this scenario there will be no winners in Ukraine, only victims and losers. But most importantly, the use of force will not help to find a way out.

The only solution is to move from street riots and attempts to curb them [my bold text and italics] to constructive negotiations and results. 

The negotiation participants must pursue the interests of the whole country. The whole country! And they must be ready to actually cooperate and find a compromise. 

For the sake of the future of the entire Ukraine and each Ukrainian.

Source 

Akmetov controls around two dozen or more deputies in parliament, enough to swing any vote, so this statement is v. significant. 

His statement makes clear he is against a violent clearance of EuroMaidan..

Talks going on between warring parties this Saturday afternoon in Pres Administration building...