Photo from UNIAN
The top diplomat stressed that following the release of toxic substances at the Crimean Titan plant, Russia is trying to manipulate the situation with the halt of water supplies to the occupied peninsula.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin emphasizes that Ukraine will never sign a contract for the supply of water to the Russian-occupied Crimea, where the peninsula will be indicated as Russian territory.
Russia is trying to exploit the situation with the release of toxic chemicals from the acid storage reservoir at the Crimean Titan plan to "spin, including on international platforms, the issue of suspended water supplies to the occupied territory," Klimkin told journalists in Kyiv Sept 12, according to an UNIAN correspondent.
"But [they] don't spin it from the international law perspective, but rather wrap it in a sort of a humanitarian frame. And this we must avoid. Therefore, we go to international organizations only with clear evidence, with measurements, with what we get from our partners," Klimkin said, commenting on Ukraine's intention to address the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) if the use of chemical weapons is confirmed in connection with the release of toxic substances at the Crimean Titan plant.
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"Now we've had a preliminary contact, but we will not do anything that will give Russia this trump card to exploit the issue in the context of manipulating water," Klimkin said.
"And we are perfectly aware of all the fake stories of 'plans' to set up such deliveries... We will never allow this. Water will never be supplied to the occupied territory under a contract which says 'Crimea, Russia'," the minister stressed.