OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, when meeting in Kyiv, commends Ukrainian President for giving fresh impetus to national and international dialogue

KYIV, 7 June 2014 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister, Didier Burkhalter, welcomed the efforts of the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, to resort to international diplomacy and high-level contacts to create a new dynamic in favour of the resolution of the crisis regarding Ukraine and in order to strengthen partnerships which are indispensable for de-escalating the situation and lowering tensions in the country.

Burkhalter, who met Poroshenko at the margins of his inauguration ceremony as well as Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Kyiv, commended Poroshenko’s intention to engage in dialogue and to continue the process of National Unity Roundtables. Burkhalter confirmed to the two leaders that the OSCE is ready to support this process further.

They discussed the potential renewal of the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine beyond September 20 for another six-month term, Burkhalter said, as well as the OSCE’s readiness to assist the authorities in establishing a program for the disarmament of illegally armed groups.

Furthermore, they talked about the situation in the east of the country, particularly also the situation regarding the two missing teams of the Special Monitoring Mission. Burkhalter, calling for their unconditional release and stressing that getting them free was a priority for the OSCE and the Swiss Chairmanship, expressed his gratitude to Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk for the close co-operation in this regard.