Lavrov, Kerry appeal for ceasefire, talks in Ukraine

Moscow, July 28 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry Sunday called for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine's conflict zone as well as to hold negotiations between the conflicting parties.

"Russian and US top foreign policy officials agreed that it was important to end the fight in the conflict zone immediately, and to start talks between the conflicting parties in compliance with the Geneva statement made by Russia, the US and Ukraine on April 17," Xinhua quoted Russian foreign ministry as saying.

The world has been appealing for all relevant sides of the Ukraine crisis to facilitate and cooperate in the ongoing international investigation of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 crashed July 17.

Russia invited observers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to visit the Russian border checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk and expects them to arrive without delay, Lavrov said during a phone conversation with Kerry.

The minister urged Kerry "to instruct his subordinates not to hinder the OSCE in its work", the ministry added.

Russia announced Friday that the OSCE would send experts to monitor the situation at the Russian border and customs checkpoints.