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She said Ukraine needed “a political process that is engaged in quickly and properly by everyone”, adding: “The responsibility is inevitably going to fall on government to do that as quickly as possible.”
Source: BBC News - Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych defiant amid turmoil

I do not understand what this really means. How could it be rewritten in simple English without shortening the extract?

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  • This could be rephrased as: Ukraine needed a political process in which everyone engages quickly and properly.
    – Jim
    Jan 31, 2014 at 1:34

1 Answer 1

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“a political process that is engaged in quickly and properly by everyone” could be rewritten:

a political process that everyone engages in quickly and properly

My Interpretation:
Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, doesn't like either side of the situation. On one side, you have Yanukovych backing out of one deal, signing another, then saying he's too ill to do anything else—all with impunity. On the other side, you have protesters who feel they have no other option but to engage in public demonstrations, which are dangerous in the extreme cold and sometimes turn violent.

Ashton suggests (without specifying what exactly should be changed or what it should be changed to) that some kind of new system should be put into place,1 presumably one that will give citizens2 an appropriate3 and effective4 way to voice5 disapproval with the President's actions when necessary.

1 “. . . Ukraine need[s] ‘a political process. . .’”
2 “. . . people . . .”
3 “. . . properly.”
4 “. . . quickly . . .”
5 “. . . engaged. . .”

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