KYIV. Feb 17 (Interfax) - Kyiv has continued demanding that Moscow give an answer to the question about military activities in areas adjacent to Ukrainian territory, which was earlier sent in accordance with the Vienna Document, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
"We keep demanding transparency from Russia which refused to attend yesterday's meeting under the Vienna Document. Ukraine now requests a joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Co-operation of OSCE within 48 hours to elaborate on further steps," Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
He called on Russia to address the concerns of participating countries and "use OSCE tools to defuse tensions caused by its military activities near Ukraine's border," adding that no statements on withdrawal of forces from the Russia-Ukraine border would be enough. "We need transparency and facts," Kuleba said.
As reported earlier, Ukraine formally triggered the mechanism of risk reduction stipulated under the Vienna Document.
"According to the Vienna Document, Russia needs to provide detailed explanation on the objectives, precise location and dates of completion of its military activities, as well as designation, subordination, number and types of formations, as well as types of equipment involved," Kuleba said on Twitter on February 11.
He said then that Russia had 48 hours to reply to the request.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday, February 15, that Russia refused to attend the OSCE meetings on Ukraine, as the country was not conducting any meaningful military activity that would require providing information under the Vienna Document. "On February 14 we sent a formal reply reiterating that the Russian Federation is not conducting any significant military activity that would require notice under the Vienna Document from 2011. We therefore see no reason for the provisions of its Chapter III to apply, and will not take part in consultations and potential meetings of the OSCE Forum and Permanent Council," Zakharova said.
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