15:31 01.02.2014

Klitschko calls for mediation by intl bodies in Ukraine crisis

2 min read
Klitschko calls for mediation by intl bodies in Ukraine crisis

Two of Ukraine's key opposition figures are divided on whether it makes sense to seek the mediation of international organizations in handling the Ukrainian political crisis.

"It would be an effective way to resolve the political crisis in Ukraine if influential high-level international representatives acted as mediators and guarantors of an agreement that would be reached with the Ukrainian government," Vitali Klitschko, leader of the UDAR party, said during a meeting between Ukrainian opposition leaders and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The meeting was held at the current Munich Security Conference, UDAR said in a statement.

Arseniy Yatseniuk, parliamentary leader of the Batkivschyna (Fatherland) party, who was also present at the meeting, argued it was too early to seek help from bodies such as the United Nations or Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Ban promised the United Nations would intervene if asked, according to Yatseniuk.

"But we believe that at this point we should try to solve the problem in Ukraine via our direct contacts - contacts between Ukraine and our western partners. There are, of course, options such as the OSCE mission and the UN, but those are options that should be used if the situation is completely hopeless," Yatseniuk told Interfax-Ukraine.

There should be "bilateral" attempts to settle the crisis, "namely with the involvement of our European and American partners," he said.

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