Deployment of large armed intl mission in Donbas may freeze conflict - Kelin
MOSCOW. Aug 11 (Interfax) - Moscow does not support the idea of deploying a large armed international mission in eastern Ukraine.
"Of course, it is hard to allow to have a large armed international mission there. This may freeze the conflict," head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's European Cooperation Department Andrei Kelin told Interfax in an interview.
The Special Monitoring Mission of the OSCE (SMM OSCE) now has 1,100 officers in total, including 700 observers, around 600 of who work in eastern Ukraine, he said.
"This is an impressive contingent. But apparently this force is not enough to ensure the full ceasefire and complete disengagement of the sides," Kelin said.
"Very many violations are being registered, regretfully particularly from the Ukrainian side. This in particular deals with military equipment that should be at warehouses," he said. "One can put an end to it through a complex of measures, and one of the main [measures], and the issue is now being discussed, is the creation of a security zone on the disengagement line. This work is carried out in the contact group and on other 'floors' of the Normandy Format, in the structures that were created under aegis of the Normandy Format," Kelin said.
"Sending additional observers to eastern Ukraine, giving them weapons, all of these things are subject to agreement," he said.
"I know a number of countries that speak against the observers having at least small arms because never before the OSCE has had an armed mission. This entails serious changes in the rules and in laws of some states that are sending their observers to the mission. So the subject is very complicated," Kelin said.
Asked if the issue of sending an electoral mission to Donbas is being discussed, he said that "this subject is being discussed. But it is a long time to go before the election. Especially in current conditions, when the Ukrainian side preconditions any shift in the political settlement with security issues."
