Intense talks continue over Crimea observers

Ukrainian soldiers guard the border with Crimea as the situation intensifies Keystone

As round-the-clock diplomacy on the situation in Ukraine continues – led by the Organization for Security and Economic Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and its chairman, Swiss President Didier Burkhalter – Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed “in principle” to an OSCE observer mission to Crimea.

Putin said as much in a telephone conversation with Burkhalter on Monday. Now, says the Swiss president, a clearer mandate for the OSCE observers must be negotiated.

“We are very close to having a consensus among all 57 (OSCE) members,” Burkhalter told Swiss public television SRF.

Also on Monday – the day that the European Union and the United States placed sanctions on certain high-ranking representatives of Russia and Ukraine, including travel bans and blocked bank accounts – the Swiss House of Representatives questioned Burkhalter on the ongoing situation in the context of the 2013 report on foreign policy.

Parliamentarian Géraldine Savary asked whether making Ukraine a neutral state and NATO non-member might help solve the Crimea crisis. Burkhalter responded that the question is more complicated than it seems, as such a move might be considered favoritism towards Russia. And, he added, while some believe Ukraine’s security can be achieved through neutrality, others feel it can only be guaranteed through a military alliance.

Burkhalter emphasised it was especially difficult for Switzerland to get involved in that question because of its OSCE leadership position and that ultimately, “the choice belongs to the Ukrainians”.

‘Special role’

In Tuesday’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Burkhalter put the chances of the observer mission coming together at “98%, but we need 100%”.

“In principle there’s agreement, but all OSCE members must agree to an identical wording. There are still a few words to go,” he said.

As to why Switzerland hadn’t imposed any sanctions against Russia, which had contravened international law in Crimea, Burkhalter said Switzerland was keeping an eye on the situation and on what its major partners were doing.

“Switzerland is neither the EU nor the US,” he pointed out. “Switzerland has a special role. Its most important task is to be useful as a potential mediator and bridge builder. We don’t want to be just a smaller EU.”

He added that Switzerland didn’t want to take sides and thus keep its credibility in the long term. “The law is important for us, therefore we took a very clear line regarding the Crimea referendum.”

Petition handed in

A group of Ukrainians in Switzerland handed in a petition containing 2,300 signatures to cabinet asking that Switzerland work to put an end to Russia’s intervention in Ukraine.

“Together with the thousands of people who have signed this petition, we ask you today to actively promote peace and freedom in Ukraine and to use  your OSCE chairmanship to initiate immediate action by Western countries,” said a letter accompanying the petition, which was handed in on Monday afternoon.

Before parliament, Burkhalter apologised for constantly looking at his mobile phone, as he said  negotiations were in full swing over terms of an OSCE observer delegation in Crimea.

“It is a very big and very difficult job. The goal is to prevent escalation,” he said.