The mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to Ukraine expired on March 31.
The mission has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
The incumbent OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid expressed their sincere regret over the lack of consensus on extending the mandate of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine.
The OSCE failed to agree on an extension of the mission's mandate because of Russia's position.
Rau stressed that the Polish Chairmanship will continue consultations with participating States on the future role and presence of the OSCE in Ukraine.
While these discussions continue, the SMM will maintain its administrative status as an OSCE field operation and will continue to perform functions, including ensuring the security of mission members, property and premises.
As Ukrainian News Agency reported, the OSCE SMM was established in March 2014 at the request of the government of Ukraine in the OSCE and the consensus decision of all 57 participating States.
The SMM is a civilian mission designed to objectively observe and report on the situation in Ukraine and promote dialogue between all parties to the conflict.
With 1,291 mission members (814 international and 477 local staff), the SMM is the largest mission in the OSCE.
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