18:04 20.01.2020

Zelensky, OSCE Chairman-in-Office discuss extension of SMM mandate in Donbas

2 min read
Zelensky, OSCE Chairman-in-Office discuss extension of SMM mandate in Donbas

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister, Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of Albania, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Edi Rama, discussed Kyiv-OSCE relations in the context of Albania's chairmanship in this organization, as well as the situation in Donbas during their meeting.

"It is very important to us that Albania has always expressed support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Thank you for that," a press service of the President's Office quotes the head of the state as saying.

The president stressed that an important factor for Ukraine was the issue of relations with the OSCE in the context of Albania's presidency in the organization.

Zelensky said that at the Normandy format meeting in Paris on December 9, 2019, the parties had agreed on several positions as regards the OSCE that would help achieve peace in Donbas. It is about the work of the Special Monitoring Mission 24/7, a mirror increase in the number of observers in Ukraine-controlled territory and occupied territory, as well as OSCE access to the areas where there was no disengagement.

"The 24/7 OSCE work throughout Donbas, including the monitoring at the Ukrainian-Russian border, is crucial. And it is imperative that conditions for the safety of observers are created there. This is an important humanitarian mission," the president stressed.

Rama agreed that such a format would help obtain more reliable surveillance data, and stressed that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission should be stepped up.

As the press service reported, the parties discussed extending the mandate of the OSCE Mission to Ukraine.

They also covered the topic of economic relations between Ukraine and Albania. In particular, the interlocutors emphasized the development of tourism industry and the trade turnover potential.

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