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Obama, Canada's Harper agree Ukraine truce would be positive step if implemented

by Reuters
Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:51 GMT

TOLUCA, Mexico, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted cautiously to a truce between the Ukrainian government and opposition leaders, saying it would be a welcome step if implemented.

A White House statement describing face-to-face talks between Obama and Harper at a North American summit said the two leaders condemned violence in Kiev in which at least 26 people were killed.

"The leaders noted reports of a truce between the government and the opposition which, if implemented, would be a welcome step forward in pursuing that meaningful dialogue. They agreed they will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that actions mirror words," the statement said.

They also urged the Ukrainian military to show restraint and not become involved in issues that should be resolved by civilians, the statement said. (Reporting by Mark Felsenthal in Toluca and Roberta Rampton and Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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