Brussels, 28/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is following with concern the loss of contact by the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine with four of its observers deployed in the Donetsk region, Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, told EUROPE. “We extend our full support to the efforts of the OSCE in clarifying the situation and ensuring the safety of its observers”, she added. Kocijancic stated that the OSCE special monitoring mission plays a “key role” in implementing the arrangements of the joint Geneva statement of 17 April “to de-escalate tensions and restore security for all citizens in Ukraine”. In their joint statement of 27 May, the European heads of state and government hailed the role of this mission in setting up the 17 April agreement.
On 27 May, the OSCE announced that, since 26 May, it had lost contact with four of its observers - a Dane, an Estonian, a Swiss and a Turk - in Donetsk. They were reportedly arrested by separatists during the evening of 26 May at a control post in the rebellious east of Ukraine, according to the Danish government. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Russia to use its influence to obtain the four observers' immediate release.
On 28 May, the pro-Russian separatists of Donetsk said that they did not have contact with the OSCE observers who were reported missing, and the separatists denied detaining them. “Neither their place of residence nor their departure are known to us”, said the spokesperson for the separatists, Miroslav Rudenko. The separatists say they are ready to assist in finding the observers.
The OSCE mediator in the Ukrainian crisis, Wolfgang Ischinger, believed that, should the situation become too dangerous for the observers in the country, plans should be made for their withdrawal. (CG)