The Ukrainian government and the Foreign Ministry are taking all possible measures to release journalist Anhar Koncheva, who was abducted in Syria, First Deputy Foreign Minister Ruslan Demchenko has said.
“We are systematically working on this issue, and are working with the Syrian side. But I would not like to comment on anything, as publicity may serious affect the settlement of this issue. But believe me, the government and the ministry are doing their utmost to release her,” he told Interfax-Ukraine.
As reported, Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva was abducted by gunmen of the free Syrian army in Syria in October 2012. The kidnappers of the journalist threatened to kill her on December 13 if a ransom of $50 million was not paid.
However, on December 17, 2010 Syrian rebels in an interview with TSN television claimed that Ukrainian authorities are doing nothing to set Kochneva free.
“When we were holding negotiations with the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian Embassy, they were failing to keep their promises and weren’t doing anything to have Anhar released. In this situation, we decided to kill the young woman,” the commander of the group that abducted Kochneva told 1+1 television.
The rebels said they had planned to put Kochneva to death on December 16, but decided to “give her a second chance.”
Foreign Ministry of Ukraine in turn, claimed that it was taking all necessary measures to release the journalist.
Russia, the United States and France, as well as international human right organizations, have called on the Syrian opposition to release the woman.
