President Leonid Kuchma declined to meet representatives of the Rise Up, Ukraine protest action who intended to deliver to him a resolution of the meeting that took place in Kyiv’s European Square on September 16, People’s Deputy Taras Chornovil told Interfax Ukraine. According to him, on Wednesday morning Head of the Presidential Administration Viktor Medvedchuk also informed coordinator of the group of representatives of the Rise Up, Ukraine action Anatoly Matviyenko of the president’s refusal. Mr. Chornovil quoted Mr. Medvedchuk as saying that Mr. Kuchma argued that the meeting’s resolution is insulting to him.
Expanding on the reasons for president’s refusal to meet with representatives of the protest action, Mr. Medvedchuk said that president is prepared for dialog with representatives of any political powers under the condition that it be a civilized exchange of opinions where all sides are concerned primarily with Ukraine’s good. “The extremely impudent character of the action participants’ address [to the president],” in the opinion of the head of the Presidential Administration, rules out the possibility of such dialog and a chance for the president to discuss the issue. “I also would like to draw your attention to the fact that the style and phraseology of this address not only insult the president as a person but display a lack of respect for the state’s prestige,” Mr. Medvedchuk said.
