OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine to be expanded to 500 people by June - Russian permanent rep
MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission in Ukraine will be increased to 500 people by summer, Russia's Permanent Representative to the OSCE Andrei Kelin said.
"Today we discussed with the Swiss chairperson the concept of expanding the mission to 500 people, the increase should be completed by June. This is a difficult process, which requires financial expenditures - sending equipment, purchasing communications means, vehicles and organizing training for mission members," Kelin said in an interview with Interfax.
It is planned to raise the number of Russians in the mission as well, Kelin said. "Russia will continue sending experts there, we have very serious, trained and experienced people, former Interior Ministry employees, experienced police officers," he said.
The number of Russian experts will be raised "within the amount we did before," the diplomat said.
"We send forms and now there are many candidates - some are not qualified, some are more qualified - and now we are trying to select from candidates people, who are more or less able to negotiate with locals, help release buildings and act as mediators in establishing local-level contacts," Kelin said.