Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Ukraine and some aspects of an investigation into the crash of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 in a telephone conversation the U.S. proposed to organize on Juy 29.
“Lavrov once again called on the U.S. administration to apply its
influence on the Kyiv authorities to ensure the soonest possible
ceasefire and the start of negotiations with the southeast of Ukraine,”
the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“In this connection, it was emphasized that it was necessary to
readdress the agreements stipulated by the April 17 Geneva statement by
Russia, the U.S., the EU and Ukraine, including the goals of stopping
the use of force and the immediate launch of an open and accountable
constitutional reform process involving all regions of Ukraine. The
foreign policy chiefs agreed to make additional efforts to provide
conditions for implementing the said Geneva agreements,” it said.
“The minister and the secretary of state also agreed on the need to
fairly implement the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2166
stipulating that the investigation into the causes of the Malaysian
Boeing’s crash be truly international and independent and that the
combat activities in the area where its debris has fallen be stopped,”
the Foreign Ministry said.
“Lavrov confirmed that the UN Security Council should closely control
the implementation of these provisions, as is envisioned by resolution
2166,” it said.
Lavrov and Kerry also discussed “the situation in the Middle East,
taking into account the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip
and the deadlock in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations,” it said.
