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Russia advises US to pay more attention to dangerous incidents in Ukraine

MOSCOW, March 10, 18:28 /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow has noted U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Daniel Baer’s remarks at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on March 7, where he urged the Russian authorities to help ensure the free movement of military observers from OSCE member states in Crimea (autonomy seeking independence from Ukraine), the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, March 10.

“The way the question was stated is surprising as it was misdirected. We believe that any OSCE monitoring activity in Crimea should be coordinated with the legitimate Crimean authorities,” the ministry said.

“It is bewildering that Mr Baer never mentioned the fact that this issue had already been discussed at the OSCE. In fact, some of the OSCE member states, in response to the Kiev regime’s request, sent military observers to Ukraine. In this connection Russia officially informed all OSCE members on March 5 that it would deny access to the Russian military facilities stationed on the Crimean Peninsula due to force majeure circumstances,” the ministry said.

It expressed hope that “American diplomats will pay more attention to really dangerous and unpredictable incidents such as the consequences of uncontrolled spread of weapons and ammunition stolen by gunmen from military depots and to reports about the disappearance of several dozen man-portable Igla air defence systems.