UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States and
Russia blamed each other on Friday for the continued conflict in Ukraine, with
Washington accusing the Kremlin of attempting to suppress public discussion of
facts about the nearly two-year-old war.
The mutual accusations came during a meeting of
the U.N. Security Council on Ukraine, a session that was delayed for an hour
and a half after Russia insisted U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Human
Rights Ivan Simonovic should not brief the 15-nation council.
In the end, Simonovic spoke during the meeting, though Russian United
Nations Ambassador Vitaly Churkin made clear his displeasure. He said human
rights discussions belong in Geneva at the Human Rights Council.
Churkin also criticized U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power's handling of the
rotating presidency of the Security Council this month, saying she has
"introduced wrong elements."
On Thursday, China and Russia tried unsuccessfully to block a
U.S.-organized council meeting on alleged human rights abuses in North Korea.
"Washington is playing a destructive role" in Ukraine, Churkin
said.
Fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels seeking
independence from Kiev erupted in April 2014. Violence dropped significantly in
September, but Kiev and separatists continue to report daily ceasefire
violations and casualties as a result of enemy fire.
Power said Russia was the destructive one and accused the Kremlin of trying
to prevent the open discussion of facts.
"In arguing, as the Russian ambassador did earlier, that the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights should not brief, one does wonder what
Russia seeks to hide," she said. "But we understand its very
unfortunate desire to prevent the council from hearing inconvenient
facts."
Power cited the latest U.N. report on Ukraine, which said arms and fighters
were still pouring into eastern Ukraine from Russia, with the death toll from
20 months of fighting approaching 9,100.
"We are here because even today Russia continues to arm, train,
support and fight alongside separatists in eastern Ukraine," Power said.
Russia denies arming and financing pro-Moscow rebels.
Simonovic said there continued to be fresh allegations of human rights
abuses in eastern Ukraine - "killings, torture and ill-treatment, illegal
detention and forced labor." He also cited allegations of arbitrary
detention, torture and other abuses by the Kiev government.
Churkin said Kiev was continuing an economic blockade of eastern Ukraine
and refused to engage in direct dialogue with the separatists.
Power encouraged Kiev to speed up efforts to ensure supplies and services
make it to the east. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin blamed Russia for blockages.
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