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Victims of Holodomor remembered in the Ukrainian Embassy in Russia

14.10.2008   
Initial plans for wider-scale events to greet the International Remembrance Flame which has already passed through 29 countries were unfortunately hindered by the authorities

In the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow as part of the International Remembrance Flame a ceremony was held to honour the memory of the victims of Holodomor 1932-1933.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation Kostyantin Hryshchenko stressed that the tragedy was embedded in the memory not only of millions of Ukrainians, but of Russians, Greeks, Germans, and other people’s who came to be in the area of disaster created by the totalitarian regime. He added that many people in Ukraine and beyond have very painful memories of the events of 1932-1933.

“We have gathered here (in the embassy) although a much broader meeting had been planned. Unfortunately today the authorities of the country we are in did not support our holding such a wide-scale action.”

Mr Hryshchenko believes that the Russian authorities are under a misapprehension with regard to what Ukraine is seeking to achieve via the International Remembrance Flame.

“Russia and the Russian people can in no way be blamed for the crimes which the regime committed, including against Russians. Yet if we are not conscious of the full scale of that horror which the Ukrainian, Kazakh and Russian peoples experienced, if we do not remember them and honour our historical memory, we cannot guarantee that such a tragedy will not reoccur.”  The Ambassador added that humanity in the XXI century much draw conclusions from the century which has passed.

He stressed that in turning to international organizations seeking recognition of Holodomor, Ukraine wanted to ensure that it was never repeated.

“We consider that in this we fully coincide with the aspirations of the great Russian people and other peoples who were also victims of these tragedies.”

Mr Hryshchenko added that within the framework of the action there would be a service in one of the biggest cathedrals in Moscow for the victims of Holodomor.

Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yury Kostenko explained that the International Remembrance Flame had already passed through 29 countries. He stressed that Ukraine had no wish to politicize the action and did not want it to stand in the way of friendly relations with all countries, including the Russian Federation.

The International Remembrance Flame will also pass through St Petersburg, and there are plans for it to be in Rostov on the Don as well.

As reported, Ukraine has expressed concern over the actions of the Russian authorities which have been trying to interfere with the International Remembrance Flame action.

Based on information at www.korespondent.net

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