KIEV
The Ukrainian president has called for deploying a peacekeeping force in Ukraine to implement and verify the cease-fire agreement between separatists and Ukrainian government forces.
President Petro Poroshenko said during a televised interview on Channel 5 on Saturday night that the main purpose was to guarantee peace and stability in the region following the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or the OSCE’s special observatory mission.
"Peacekeepers should be deployed in the buffer area of the collision line and the border, while the OSCE should verify compliance with the Minsk agreement all over the occupied territory," he said.
He revealed that the option of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine would be discussed during the next meeting of Ukrainian, Russian and EU foreign ministers. He added that the Ukrainian foreign minister had already held consultations with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon over the issue.
“At first, the reaction of the international partners to the initiative of deploying peacekeepers had been negative, because it wasn't provided for in the Minsk agreements," the president said.
He also said that the Crimean Tatars’ ATR television channel should broadcast in the entire Ukraine, including Crimea. "The ATR television channel will broadcast across Ukraine. Ukraine needs to hear the sound of Tatar language," he said.
Earlier this week the Crimean Tatar network stopped broadcasting after it failed to get a permit from the Russian government. ATR network and its affiliates the Lale children's network, Meydan Radio and 15 Minutes news agency all stopped broadcasting last Tuesday night.
Ukrainian government forces and separatists in eastern Ukraine agreed to withdraw heavy weapons by March 7 after a meeting between leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany on Feb. 15. Despite the cease-fire, tensions remain high in some pro-Russian held regions.
