Ban Meets Putin, Voices Concern Over Crisis In Ukraine
MOSCOW, March 21 (Bernama) — United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern about the latest events in Ukraine and Russia during his meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
Ban noted that Russia was one of the world’s leaders and major international actors. He thanked Putin for the opportunity to meet with him personally even though they had talked with each other by phone several times lately.
He will try to hold a direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine during his visits to Moscow and Kyiv on March 20-21, his spokesperson Farhan Haq said ahead of the trip.
According to Ban, the main task is to start a direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv in order to agree concrete measures that will pave the way to diplomatic settlement, Farhan said.
Ban believes that the world is at a crossroads and although the situation was complex over the past several days, the road to a peaceful solution is still open.
The Secretary-General will travel to Kyiv on Friday where he will hold talks with Acting President Alexander Turchinov, Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and other officials.
Months of political unrest in Ukraine led to the removal of President Viktor Yanukovich by parliament in February, followed by increased tensions in the country’s autonomous region of Crimea, where a secession referendum was held on March 16.
— BERNAMA