Turkey concerned over ‘abduction’ of OSCE observers in Ukraine

ANKARA

A pro-Russian rebel stretches while manning a barricade near the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, May 28, 2014. REUTERS Photo

Turkey is deeply concerned over the “abduction” of four observers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), including a Turkish citizen, by “unknown persons” near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, the Foreign Ministry has stated.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has already discussed the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while in Moscow on May 27, while also holding talks with the foreign minister of Switzerland, which currently holds the chair of the OSCE, and the foreign minister of Denmark, one of whose citizens are among those observers, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released May 28.

The organization announced on May 27 that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission lost contact with one of its Donetsk-based teams.

“The team was on a routine patrol east of Donetsk when contact was lost. We have been unable to re-establish communication until now,” OSCE briefly said.

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission chaired by Ambassador Ertuğrul Apakan of Turkey has been working impartially and with sacrifice in order to contribute to the security of the Ukrainian people and the security of the country, the Foreign Ministry said.

“Behaving with full respect to mission’s members by keeping these considerations in their minds is an obligation for all parties,” the ministry said, noting that Turkey had been exerting efforts for the imminent release of all observers.

The team consists of nationals of Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland and Turkey.