LOC09:01
06:01 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 23 (KUNA) -- Secretary of State John Kerry has voiced concern at shaky conditions in Ukraine and urged Russia to abstain from rhetoric and take action to de-escalate the crisis.
Kerry called both Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, late on Tuesday, to discuss the situation on the ground in eastern Ukraine and the status of efforts to implement the agreement reached last week in Geneva, the State Department announced.
With Lavrov, Kerry "expressed deep concern over the lack of positive Russian steps to de-escalate, and cited mounting evidence that separatists continue to increase the number of buildings under occupation and take journalists and other civilians captive," said the statement, attributed to a senior State Department official, released on Tuesday night.
"He urged Russia to tone down escalatory rhetoric, engage diplomatically in the east with the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and Ukrainian government, and issue public statements calling for those occupying buildings to disarm and stand down in exchange for amnesty," the statement said.
Kerry also reiterated that the absence of measurable progress on implementing the Geneva agreement will result in increased sanctions on Russia, it said.
With Yatsenyuk, Kerry "praised the important steps taken to de-escalate, in accordance with the Geneva agreement, including progress on amnesty legislation, steps toward broadening the national dialogue on constitutional reform to include representatives of all regions, and close coordination with the OSCE monitoring mission," the statement said.
Kerry encouraged final passage of the amnesty legislation and the formal launch of the national dialogue, including the issuance of invitations to a broad range of participants, it said. (end)
rm.rk