UK ministers to boycott Euro 2012 kick off

PanARMENIAN.Net - Euro 2012 is to kick off amid political protests over human rights in Ukraine. UK ministers are boycotting the initial stages of the tournament in response to the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, Belfast Telegraph reported.

The move came after other European countries including Germany and France announced that senior politicians would boycott games played in Ukraine - which is co-hosting the event with Poland - unless the human rights situation under President Viktor Yanukovych improved.

The tournament gets under way in Warsaw where Poland will take on Greece.

Ms Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year after what supporters claim was a show trial.

The former prime minister staged a hunger strike in April after photos appeared showing bruises on her body. She has accused prison guards of assaulting her.

A statement released by the Foreign Office said: "The Government fully supports England's participation in Euro 2012. We hope this is a successful tournament for the England team, the fans and the people of Ukraine and Poland. No ministers will be attending group games at Euro 2012.

"We are keeping attendance at later stages of the tournament under review in the light of ministers' busy schedules ahead of the Olympics and widespread concerns about selective justice and the rule of law in Ukraine."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "There are serious problems of course in Ukraine - I think everyone is well familiar with those problems. So I hope for our team it's a great sporting event but of course we don't want people to understand that as giving political support to some things that have been happening in Ukraine that we don't agree with."

A St James's Palace spokesman said the Duke of Cambridge, who is president of the Football Association, would also not be attending the event.