Approval of Moskalkova's meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart technical issue - office
MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova is ready to meet with her Ukrainian counterpart Liudmyla Denisova, Moskalkova's office said.
"Tatyana Nikolayevna is always ready for cooperation. The Russian and Ukrainian human rights commissioners call each other on a regular basis, exchange correspondence and letters to defend citizens' rights. All requests from Denisova are personally received by the ombudsman and are subject to special monitoring," the Russian ombudsman's office told Interfax on Tuesday.
"Tatyana Nikolayevna is engaged in the protection of citizens' rights in the first place and, therefore, is travelling often, she may be absent from her office on the days, when the Ukrainian ombudsman is planning her visit," the office said regarding the failed meetings.
"But if the ombudsmen agree on the date by phone in advance, then the office does its work to organize the meeting. The approval of the meeting dates is a technical task for the ombudsmen's offices," it said.
The Ukrainian Embassy to Russia earlier sent a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry requesting its assistance in determining the date of a meeting between Denisova and Moskalkova.
"While staying in the Russian Federation once again, I was unable to meet with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova, who is now on an official visit in New York. Therefore, the Ukrainian Embassy to Russia has sent a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry today requesting its assistance in organizing my meeting with Tatyana Moskalkova and determining the dates of such a visit," Denisova wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday.
She emphasized that she is ready to come to Moscow again to meet with the Russian ombudsman and discuss the observance of international humanitarian law in relation to the Ukrainian sailors arrested in the Kerch Strait and the possibilities of swapping Ukrainian citizens, among other things.
"I hope such a date will be officially determined and we will finally meet," the Ukranian ombudsman said.