Germany welcomes Ukraine talks

Berlin - The German government on Friday welcomed apparent progress in round table talks in Ukraine but said international monitors had evidence of grave human rights abuses by pro-Russian groups in annexed Crimea and in the east of the country.

Angela Merkel's spokespeson Steffen Seibert said the German chancellor was glad that talks would continue this weekend in the east Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, but said Berlin was very concerned by a report on the human rights situation.

"There are cases of intimidation and, even worse, of abuse, torture, disappearances and murder, especially in the east and south of Ukraine. The Russian accusation that the rights of the Russian minority are being violated are not supported by this OSCE human rights report," Seibert told a news conference.