LOC00:23
21:23 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 28 (KUNA) -- The US voiced Monday its deep concern over the continued "unlawful" detention of the German-led OSCE Vienna Document team and their Ukrainian escorts.
State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki told reporters "we are outraged by the shameful display of the international monitors on Sunday as they were paraded in front of the press."
She affirmed that the Vienna Document was agreed on by all 57 members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), including Russia.
"Its implementation has been a lasting source of cooperation and military transparency. Such an incident has never to our knowledge taken place before," she stressed.
She noted "while we welcome the release of the Swedish member of the team for medical reasons, as a signatory to the Vienna document, Russia should be using its influence with pro-Russian separatist groups to secure the immediate and unconditional release of all the observers of their Ukrainian escorts and their Ukrainian escorts."
Psaki continued saying "we are also concerned by reports of mistreatment of the Ukrainian escort officers and look to Russia to ensure their security as well as their release.
"We believe it is imperative for senior officials in Moscow to condemn the abduction and demand the team's immediate release," she added.
She stressed "it is critical for Russian authorities to state clearly what we all know to be true. Vienna document inspection teams are not clandestine, the members are not spies."
She reiterated that this team "was operating fully in the open consistent with the Vienna document provisions that Russia, as well as all other OSCE participating states, have agreed to and implemented for decades." (end)
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