Protests in Ukraine as parliament approves Russia treaty - Update

Kiev - Thousands of Ukrainians demonstrated in the capital Kiev on Tuesday as parliament approved a controversial treaty extending a naval port lease to the Kremlin.

Ukraine's parliament ratified the treaty with 236 deputies out of the 450-seat house voting in favor.

Parliament speaker Volodymyr Litvyn sat beneath an umbrella pelted by hurled eggs and smoke bombs, as he called for a ratification vote on a recent agreement between Kiev and Moscow allowing the continued basing of Russian warships and land forces in Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.

The treaty extends Moscow's lease on a military wharf and shore installations in the Crimean port of Sevastopol until 2042. Russia has rented the facilities from Kiev since Ukraine's 1991 independence.

Chaos followed the vote in the parliament chamber, with pro-treaty parliamentarians using jackets and handkerchiefs to breathe through thick smoke, and physically preventing firemen from entering the chamber. At least five smoke bombs were set off in the room, Channel 5 television reported.

A brawl involving more than a dozen pro- and anti-treaty parliamentarians broke out on live television, as some attempted to remove a giant Ukrainian flag preventing them from reaching their seats, while others resisted.

A clash between police and anti-treaty demonstrators also erupted outside on a street adjacent to the parliament building, after a group of anti-riot officers attempted to arrest a protester on a public disturbance charge.

A crowd of some 50 to 60 marchers confronted the law enforcers in a shoving match during which a few punches were thrown. The demonstrators eventually secured the detainee's release after police retreated.

Bystanders chanted "Down with the government!" and "It's us against the police!" during the incident.

Police cordons later blocked an attempt by anti-treaty demonstrators to force their way into the parliament building.

More than 10,000 demonstrators had gathered in the vicinity of the parliament building by midday, both for and against the agreement.

Banners carried by anti-treaty marchers read, in part, "We will not allow war to be brought to Crimea," and "Down with traitor parliamentarians!"

Pro-treaty banners, meanwhile, proclaimed, in part, "Russia and Ukraine are strategic partners!" and "We support President Yanukovych!"

Police presence in the Kiev city center was heavy and increasing by midday. There were no reports of violence between the two competing demonstrations.

Dozens of parliamentarians loyal to President Viktor Yanukovych spent the night inside the legislature, according to organizers, so as to prevent anti-treaty parliamentarians from sabotaging electronic voting equipment in the chamber.

Destruction of electronic voting equipment, and sabotage of roll- call votes by use of sirens or physically prevention of the parliament speaker's call for a vote, are tactics used by both sides in Ukraine's often-raucous legislature.

Yanukovych, a pro-Russia politician, last week signed the treaty allowing Russia's Black Sea Fleet to remain based in Sevastpol with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in the east Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in remarks to reporters shortly after his arrival in Kiev late Monday evening, said he was "surprised" by some Ukrainians' outspoken opposition to the naval treaty.

Moscow will cut the price of natural gas sold to Ukraine by some 3 billion dollars a year and bring major investment into Ukrainian industry if the Black Sea Fleet treaty is approved, Putin said. He was in Ukraine on a two-day working visit devoted to security and energy issues.

"Russia is ready for major cooperation with Ukraine," he said, according to the Interfax news agency.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/320768,protests-in-ukraine-as-parliament-approves-russia-treaty--update.html.