MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) discussed the extension of the mandate of its Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) for another year, Russia's envoy to the OSCE Andrei Kelin said Thursday.
The current mission's mandate expires on March 23.
"At present, this issue is being discussed since the [SMM] mandate expires on [March] 23. I don't know what the final decision will be, but an extension for a year is under consideration," Kelin said.
The mission was deployed on March 21, 2014 at the request of the Ukrainian government. OSCE experts were tasked with impartially monitoring the conflict between independence supporters and government forces in the country and facilitating dialogue between the warring parties.
In September 2014, the SMM mandate was extended by another six months.
Last week, OSCE Chairman Ivica Dacic told US Congress that after meetings with the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine he agreed to prolong the OSCE mandate in Ukraine by another six to 12 months.
