Turkey hails deployment of monitoring mission in Ukraine

Turkey welcomed a decision for Special Monitoring Mission of The Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE) in assisting Ukrainian authorities in the immediate implementation of measures agreed in the Geneva Statement, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated on Friday. "It is an important step that both Russia and Ukraine have agreed on the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission's role to de- escalate tension," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday at a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart Ditmir Bushati in Ankara. Turkey was ready to take any step needed to contribute to the solution of crisis in Ukraine, the minister said, noting Ankara would support initiatives in this regard. Davutoglu cited that a Turkish official was also taking part in the OSCE mission. At the press conference, a cooperation agreement on information technologies was signed between Turkey and Albania. Albanian foreign minister Bushati said Turkey was a "strategic partner" in regional terms. "Economic, military, political cooperation is assessed today. Turkey is a strategic partner since it has much influence in the region," Bushati.