Official Text of Sec.Colin Powell's statement on Ukraine 11/29/04

Secretary Colin L. Powell
Four Seasons Hotel
Washington, DC
November 29, 2004
(10:55 a.m. EST)

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, do you have time for a question? Could we ask you about Ukraine and how concerned you are that Ukraine could break apart?

SECRETARY POWELL: I had a good conversation with President Kuchma this morning, and I also had a good conversation with the Russian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. And we were concerned at some of these reports, and I reaffirmed to President Kuchma that it is the United States' position, and I think the position of everyone, that the territorial integrity of Ukraine is important, and that we once again reaffirmed that we hope that the Ukrainians would find a legal way forward, as well as a political process based on the constitutional law to resolve the problem they are now having with respect to the last election.

The Supreme Court is meeting today, and of course, the Parliament meets again tomorrow. We're very pleased that there's been no real violence, that people are being allowed to assemble peacefully and demonstrate peacefully and express their views on both sides. And if we can keep things calm and allow the leaders and politicians and members of the international community who are trying to help the Ukrainians all come together, then hopefully a peaceful solution will be found.

But we certainly do support the territorial integrity of Ukraine.