Moscow Hopes New OSCE Representative on Ukraine to Help Ending Violence

Russia is hoping that Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, who has been appointed to the post of representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office on Ukraine, will be working on halting violence in Ukraine and the implementation of the “roadmap” on the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter has announced the appointment of Swiss Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini to the post of his representative on Ukraine,” the ministry said in a report posted on its website.

“Russia has always backed the ‘roadmap’ for the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine proposed by the Swiss chairman of the OSCE in line with the Geneva accords of April 17. We are working on the assumption that Heidi Tagliavini will be actively involved in the implementation of the key provisions of the said ‘roadmap,’ primarily the development of steady agreements on immediate cessation of violence and the creation of conditions for the beginning of true dialogue in Ukraine involving all political forces and regions of that country,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov is taking part in various consultations in Kiev to support the efforts taken by the OSCE to fulfill this ‘roadmap.’ This position taken by Russia was confirmed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a phone conversation with Didier Burkhalter on June 9,” the report says.

OSCE special representative on Ukraine leaving office

Retired German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, former conciliator and special representative of OSCE on Ukraine, is leaving office. Ischinger was responsible for roundtables between the Kiev authorities and the opposition in the framework of the OSCE’s “roadmap” on settling the Ukrainian crisis, Interfax quotes the Kommersant newspaper. The information was provided to the newspaper at the secretariat of Didier Burkhalter, the OSCE Chairman and President of Switzerland.

Ischinger was appointed negotiator a little less than a month ago. He was responsible for organizing a series of roundtables between the Kiev authorities and representatives of the South-East, as it was provided for by the “road map” on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Earlier, this road map was presented by Burkhalter to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

Ischinger organized three such round tables: in Kiev, Kharkov and Nikolaev. One of the main goals of the “road map” – the elections of the President of Ukraine – was successfully achieved. Nevertheless, the process of national reconciliation was not launched.

The newspaper reports that Wolfgang Ischinger was the figure, which satisfied all the conflicting parties, and notes that it will not be easy for the OSCE to find a new suitable candidate for this role.

Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE has said a new negotiator on maintaining the dialogue in Ukraine will be appointed within a week.

One can expect Wolfgang Ischinger to leave his post, Andrei Kelin has said.

He quoted Ischinger as saying earlier he “will only work till presidential elections” in Ukraine.

The OSCE secretariat also confirmed that Ischinger had decided not to extend the mandate, Kelin told Itar-Tass on Saturday.

“Now a new mediator is being searched for. There are candidates from several countries,” he said.

The next roundtable for national dialogue in Ukraine was scheduled to be held in Chernovtsy, Ukraine’s south-west. However, the date has not been specified yet, Kelin said.

The new OSCE negotiator should prepare the meeting, he added.

Voice Of Russia

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