German doctor treats Tymoshenko
A senior German doctor who has twice examined Ukraine's jailed ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was allowed into her prison on Friday to check on her health again, the Ukrainian prison service said.
Berlin's Charite hospital head Karl Max Einhäupl was accompanied by Ukrainian medics during the health check on Tymoshenko, who suffers from back
pain and launched a hunger strike on April 20 to protest an alleged prison
beating.
Tymoshenko was not allowed to see her lawyer on Friday "due to the ongoing
visit of an international commission involving Ukrainian and German doctors,"
the prison service said. He travelled to Ukraine with German diplomats, sources told news agency AFP.
Germany has repeatedly offered to host Tymoshenko for treatment but Ukraine
has officially refused citing its criminal procedure laws. The 2004 Orange
Revolution leader refuses to be treated by Ukrainian doctors.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesman sought to play down hopes for a quick
resolution to Tymoshenko's fate despite "intense" efforts by Berlin.
"We are making intense efforts to find a solution with the Ukrainian
authorities on the Tymoshenko case so that she receives appropriate
treatment," Andreas Peschke told reporters.
"I just want to dampen hopes - it is complicated to find a solution and
that is still going to take some time," he added.
Einhäupl, who examined Tymoshenko in February and April, urged Ukraine
last Friday to allow her treatment abroad and said the Berlin university
hospital was ready to treat her.
The European Union has said all its commissioners would skip next month's
Euro 2012 football matches in the country to protest Tymoshenko's treatment.
Austria has announced it will boycott all matches hosted by Ukraine, a move
that reportedly could be matched by Germany.
AFP/mbw
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Berlin's Charite hospital head Karl Max Einhäupl was accompanied by Ukrainian medics during the health check on Tymoshenko, who suffers from back
pain and launched a hunger strike on April 20 to protest an alleged prison
beating.
Tymoshenko was not allowed to see her lawyer on Friday "due to the ongoing
visit of an international commission involving Ukrainian and German doctors,"
the prison service said. He travelled to Ukraine with German diplomats, sources told news agency AFP.
Germany has repeatedly offered to host Tymoshenko for treatment but Ukraine
has officially refused citing its criminal procedure laws. The 2004 Orange
Revolution leader refuses to be treated by Ukrainian doctors.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesman sought to play down hopes for a quick
resolution to Tymoshenko's fate despite "intense" efforts by Berlin.
"We are making intense efforts to find a solution with the Ukrainian
authorities on the Tymoshenko case so that she receives appropriate
treatment," Andreas Peschke told reporters.
"I just want to dampen hopes - it is complicated to find a solution and
that is still going to take some time," he added.
Einhäupl, who examined Tymoshenko in February and April, urged Ukraine
last Friday to allow her treatment abroad and said the Berlin university
hospital was ready to treat her.
The European Union has said all its commissioners would skip next month's
Euro 2012 football matches in the country to protest Tymoshenko's treatment.
Austria has announced it will boycott all matches hosted by Ukraine, a move
that reportedly could be matched by Germany.
AFP/mbw
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