Putin accepts to hold elections in Ukraine

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, today accepted the realization of the Ukrainian elections and called on pro-Russian insurgents to postpone the independence referendum.

`We call on the representatives of the southeastern Ukraine, supporters of the federalization of the country, to postpone the referendum scheduled for May 11,´ said Putin, who explained that this would create `necessary conditions for dialogue´ with the Kiev Government.

Putin offered these statements after meeting today in Moscow with the President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Didier Burkhalter, who arrived to a mediation mission, when the Russian leader did conceded that those elections `are a step in the right direction.´

`If there will be elections, what is missing is a ceasefire. You cannot imagine how is voting in a situation like this, as in part of eastern and southern Ukraine,´ Burkhalter said.