歐盟外交主管：堅決支持烏克蘭

The European Union's foreign policy chief is promising strong international support for Ukraine as it works to form a new government following the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Catherine Ashton spoke at a news conference Tuesday while visiting the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. She said Western financial institutions are working on ways to help Ukraine's economy recover from three months of political protests. Ashton also urged Russia to let the nation find its own way forward out of its political crisis.

Earlier in the day, Ukraine's parliament postponed until Thursday plans to elect a new national unity government. Parliament speaker and acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, made the announcement on Tuesday, when the legislature was due to unveil its new leaders.

Reports say the delay is meant to allow for further consultations on the issue.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is due in Ukraine Tuesday. He is expected to meet with acting president Turchynov, as well members of parliament.

The State Department said Burns "will urge the new government to take all steps necessary for free and fair presidential elections in May."

On Monday, the interim government in Ukraine issued an arrest warrant for ousted president Yanukovych, accusing him and other officials of mass murder of anti-government protesters.歐洲聯盟外交事務主管凱瑟琳·阿什頓承諾給予烏克蘭有力的國際支持。烏克蘭總統亞努科維奇被推翻之後，烏克蘭正在着手組建新政府。

正在烏克蘭首府基輔訪問的阿什頓星期二在記者會上講話。她說，西方金融機構正在設法幫助烏克蘭經濟從歷時三個月的政治抗議中恢復過來。阿什頓還敦促俄羅斯讓烏克蘭自己找到解決本國政治危機的出路。

當天早些時候，烏克蘭議會將公佈選舉新的聯合政府的計劃推遲到星期四。烏克蘭議會議長兼代總統圖爾奇諾夫星期二宣佈了這項決定。烏克蘭議會原定於星期二公佈新的聯合政府領導人。

有報道說，推遲選舉是爲了進一步展開磋商。

美國副國務卿威廉·伯恩斯定於星期二抵達烏克蘭。預計他將會晤代總統圖爾奇諾夫以及議會成員。

美國國務院說，伯恩斯將敦促新政府“採取一切必要措施在5月舉行自由公平的總統選舉”。

烏克蘭臨時政府星期一針對被推翻的總統亞努科維奇發佈逮捕令，指控他和其他一些官員大規模殺害抗議民衆。