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Russia sees no point in UN peacekeepers in Ukraine — diplomat

Moscow believes that the OSCE monitoring mission is successfully monitoring the implementation of the Minsk agreements

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russia believes that the OSCE monitoring mission is successfully monitoring the implementation of the Minsk agreements, and there is no point in deploying an additional UN peacekeeping mission, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told a news conference in Moscow on Thursday.

"As for us, we see no added value to the UN peacekeeping mission in Ukraine," he said. "The OSCE monitoring mission is successfully performing its functions, so we see no need for an additional peacekeeping mission."

The diplomat noted that Ukraine’s appeal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon provided no specific details on the implementation of this initiative. "The appeal mentioned neither the modality, nor the purpose or ethnic composition of these contingents," he said. "These are very serious issues requiring careful consideration."

Gatilov added that the deployment of UN peacekeepers required the consent of both parties to the conflict.

He also pointed to the Secretary-General’s reply to the appeal of the Ukrainian side, in which he said that the decision on a peacekeeping mission could only be taken by the UN Security Council.

On the other hand, some of the countries hoping by bypass the possible veto, point to the 1950 Uniting for Peace resolution passed to support the participation of the UN forces in the Korean conflict. "However, many question the legitimacy of transferring the Security Council’s authorities to the UN General Assembly envisaged by this resolution," Gatilov said. "As far as I remember, no one has turned to this resolution since then," he added.