Poroshenko risks becoming “president of ATO” – head of representative office of “DNR” in France

Maseille: A video report from Georgia was posted a few days ago on Youtube-channel of Front News International, where Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was on an official visit. The video also shows footage of how Poroshenko during the visit, visited the occupation line of the Tskhinvali region. Soon, under the video report, the commentary by Gerard-Hubert Fayyar appeared, which in France of YouTube users called to mark the web page of the representation of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” as they liked.

 

Front News was interested in the issue of the existence of the representation of the “People’s Republic” in France, since France, like all Western countries, supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and does not recognize the legitimacy of the “DNR” and “LPR”, why this kind of representation without obstacles functions in Country.

 

It is interesting what kind of activity is involved in the representation of the “Donetsk People’s Republic”, and under what status does it function, who finances it, and whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has information about it. If the Ministry is informed, what measures are being taken to ensure that such illegal representative offices of unrecognized states did not exist in Western countries and did not support any particular separatist movements on the territory of Ukraine from the outside.

 

The correspondent of Front News International recorded an interview with the head of the representative office of the “DNR” in France, Gerard-Hubert Fayyar, and we are waiting for explanations and the reaction of the Ukrainian government on this issue.

 

Front News: So, it was amazing for me to find here in France the representation of the “DNR”, which, as I know, is considered a European Commission and the EU, not prohibited but under sanctions. How it happened, that here in France, there is a “representation of the DNR”. Will you tell us  about this?

 

Gerard-Hubert Fayyar: An interesting story, officially on June 26, during my visit to the “Donetsk People’s Republic” with a delegation from France, a protocol was signed with the “Minister of Foreign Affairs” Natalia Nikonorova and the representative of France that was with me. At the same time, I was assigned to represent the “republic” in France.

 

FNI: That’s not official, right?

 

GHF: This is officially from the position of the “authorities of the DNR”, but, of course, not so from the point of view of the French Republic, which does not recognize the “DNR”.Perhaps, it would be worth it. In fact, now the situation is that the “republic” exists, as we have seen with the French representatives accompanying me, and it functions. The blow for me was the similarity of the “DNR” with France in legal, administrative, political aspects. An example can be the power formed as a result of “elections” …

 

FNI: All right. Do you have here the status of an association in France?

 

GHF: Yes. Of course. According to the law of 1901, we are free to create an association that allows us to create links between France and the “DNR”.

 

FNI: How do you imagine your work here in France for the “DNR”?

 

GHF: So, on the humanitarian level, there are already numerous huge associations that perform an exorbitant amount of work. I am sure that the main thing is the correct coverage of events, and not “ring the bell”, as do the French sites.

 

FNI: You just mentioned that the information is carried by bells, and on the other hand, since you have the status of a deputy, are you going to raise this issue before the French National Assemblies, international media, etc.? How do you see this work of your association?

 

GHF: I already wrote to President Macron, I wanted to meet with the Foreign Minister, who was surprised at my call, and answered that there was no way to meet in person, moreover, the declared duties of the Minister for Foreign Affairs do not imply personal meetings. His words made me smile, but we will remain serious. Clearly, we need to select representatives who will describe the situation, since the situation described by the French media is not the real one. So, for example, 2 days ago 2 civilians were killed by Ukrainian artillery, and no one is reporting this. They report something insignificant, and it looks like a joke. In the political sense, they are humorists…

 

FNI: Thank you, my last question. After this publication of our interview, which will fall into the press of Ukraine, both Ukrainians and the government of Ukraine will consider that Russia is financing you.

 

GHF: I understand. First, the official authorities professionals in the quick, secondly the financing is private, it worries an increasing number of people. I saw many civilians in the combat areas … Mr. Poroshenko risks becoming the “president of the ATO”. I know Ukraine well, I spoke with many Ukrainians, and people are tired of war and this state of affairs…

 

FNI: The population of Ukraine is tired of this heavy war, etc. What is your association can do for peace in Ukraine and in the “Donetsk republic”? Could it be as it happened in Georgia? People need to ensure a peaceful existence. Do you plan to work in this direction?

 

GHF: I was witness to the shooting of reports, for this two are required. In my case this is not so. In fact, what I saw there is how the Ukrainian artillery systematically bombs the border zone, does not comply with the Minsk agreements, which they committed to fulfill. Bomb the central water supply, but this thing is needed daily for the life of the population. The world is not so. If we make peace, we must first arrange the life of the population. It is necessary to respect people’s decision about independence, even if this decision does not coincide with the opinion of the authorities. For today, the government of Ukraine does not want peace. They use the conflict for their own purposes, and in their political interests. The second problem is the Azov battalion.

 

The so-called “authorities of the DNR” quite often announce the opening of their offices in different countries of Europe. However, always these representations have no official status and do not confirm any political ties with the countries in which they are open. Last year a similar office was opened in the Czech Republic, but the Czech authorities deny any official status of such departments. The European Union does not recognize the independence of the “DNR” and “LPR”.