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15May14

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Russia accuses OSCE of distorting Ukrainian situation

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Russia has accused an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission to Ukraine of distorting the situation in that country's south and east.

"Reports of the OSCE mission hardly reflect or simply conceal the Kiev authorities' and right sector militants' daily use of armed force against local residents," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters Thursday.

He also accused the mission of turning a blind eye to violations of the rights of Russian-speaking people in those regions.

"(The reports) create an impression that the situation in the rest of Ukraine is normal and only in the two rebellious regions of Lugansk and Donetsk there are some problems," the Interfax news agency quoted Lukashevich as saying.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was deployed following a request by the interim Ukrainian government and an agreement by all 57 OSCE participating states.

Meanwhile, the spokesman denied Moscow had received any formal applications from those two regions to join Russia, after referenda Sunday reportedly backed independence from Ukraine.

Lukashevich also called the all-Ukrainian roundtable meeting held on Wednesday in Kiev an "imitation" of the inclusive national dialogue.

For Moscow to recognize its legitimacy, the dialogue must meet requirements for equal participation by all Ukraine's regions, in line with the agreement signed on April 17 in Geneva during a Russia-Ukraine-U.S.-EU meeting, he said.

The all-Ukrainian national unity roundtable meeting, convened under a roadmap drafted by OSCE, was attended by government members, two former Ukrainian presidents, people's deputies, regional administration chiefs, heads of regional councils, and representatives of the public, church and international organizations.

[Source: Xinhua, Moscow, 15May14]

Ukraine Unrest

This document has been published on 16May14 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.