Kyiv, 13th March 2014 – Dr Christian Schoenenberger, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ukraine, said that now there are discussions in Vienna, OCSE headquarters, on setting up a monitoring mission to Ukraine. “It would have the task to be deployed all over Ukraine to assess the security, human rights and minority rights situation”, – added Mr. Schoenenberger during a briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Today the mission is in the similar situation to the international contact group: the Russian position is not yet there”, – Mr. Schoenenberger said.
Commenting on the situation with OCSE military observers in Crimea, he said: “There are military observers who are coming to Ukraine under one of the OSCE instruments, called Vienna document, and Ukraine has invited observers to oversee military movements going in Crimea. The observers have not yet managed to get to Crimea. Yesterday the delegation was in Donetsk, having several meetings with the governor and other representatives, they tried to get to Crimea by car, but they were blocked in the area of Artyomovsk (Donetsk region) by non-identified security people”.
As for the upcoming presidential elections, which will be held on the 25th of May, Mr. Schoenenberger said, that OSCE has received a call by Ukraine to observe the elections. “There will be around 100 long term observers expected in the coming days in Ukraine. They will go to the regions to see what the conditions are there and if free and fair elections can be guaranteed. There also will be around 900 short term observers coming in just around the election time,” – added Mr. Schoenenberger.
Dr Christian Schoenenberger, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland in Ukraine since 2011.
