Verkhovnaya Rada Speaker repents for shipping arms to Georgia

He explained that Ukraine had supplied arms to Georgia "as there was no embargo" and called to reconsider the rules of arms shipment to countries undergoing "growth of tension even if no hostilities take place".

"Probably it is the right moment to reconsider international rules of arms supply, - Vladimir Litvin said live on air at "Ekho Moskvy" - Maybe completely new mechanisms must be applied as any, even the most noble purpose, cannot justify the death of people. Today they say: yes, Ukraine did it. And certainly there will be after-effects. We must learn this lesson well."

In the meantime the leader of Ukrainian Communist party Peter Simonenko prepared another charge for Viktor Yushenko. He states that the policy the latter has been pursuing has made the relationships between Ukraine and Russia not just tense but openly confrontational over the past few years. The leader of the communists thinks it was especially evident when the president demonstrated his support of "aggression of Georgian dictator Saakashvili against the people of South Ossetia".

"Ushenko had been aware of Saakashvili's plans and by order from Washington supplied him not only with small arms but also with "Grad" MLRSs and the newest "Storm" offensive systems; - Simonenko is quoted by ITAR-TASS. He asserts that the Ukrainian military specialists together with the Americans were preparing the Georgian army for the war.

In spite of the dissolution of the parliamentary commission on illegal arms supplies to Georgia on December 19 this topic is persistent in Ukraine's political life and is looked upon from the point of view of relations with Russia. Yushenko is blamed for his friendship with Saakashvili that is supposed to be the reason for aggravation of Ukrainian-Russian problems.

This is the context perceived by vice president of Ukraine's political psychologists' association Viktor Rybachenko that gave a speech at the round table on "gas issue" in Kiev.

"The price of 418 dollars that Russia is offering is a mix of business interests and revenge, - he said. - According to business interests Russia was always willing to raise the gas price but the psychological reason had to be found to justify the growth of prices. So Yushenko's position in the conflict in the Caucasus was the reason. Now Russia is taking revenge on Ukraine and Russian masses do not understand that. There is a picture in the consciousness that the Ukrainian arms were killing Russian soldiers. That is why it is normal to sell gas to Ukrainians (khokhly) at 400 dollars", - he is quoted by Rosbalt.

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