Moscow would like the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor the steps that the Kiev authorities take in the field of education, culture and ethnic minorities’ rights, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said following talks with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger on Friday.

Axar.az reports citing TASS.

"We would like the OSCE to closely monitor what Kiev is doing in connection with the OSCE mission to Ukraine, because the mandate applies to all main Ukrainian regions and stipulates monitoring the implementation of obligations related to the sphere of education, culture, linguistic rights and other ethnic minorities’ rights, including the Russian-speaking population," he said.

According to Lavrov, Russia is also interested in all of the OSCE’s capabilities being used for facilitating the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

"We support OSCE Special Representative to the Contact Group Martin Sajdik, who coordinates the Group’s activities in Minsk," he noted.

"Russia would also like the OSCE to step up its activities as far as the Transnistria issue, Geneva discussions on stability in the South Caucasus, and the Balkans are concerned," the Russian top diplomat pointed out, adding that along with the opposing sides, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group played the leading role in efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.