OSCE Chair Special Representative Sajdik announces Trilateral Contact Group holiday ceasefire agreement

MINSK, 29 April 2016 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, today announced that the TCG, and participants from certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, welcomed the determination of all participants of the Minsk process to provide for full respect of the ceasefire starting with  the upcoming Easter and May holidays as of 30 April 2016, 00.00 hrs.

It was agreed that the respective instructions on full compliance with the ceasefire regime will be communicated to all responsible in the field. The necessary steps will be taken in order to guarantee the safety and security of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) monitors.

It was agreed that cases of cease-fire violations shall be brought forward to the TCG for immediate consultations. The TCG expressed its wish that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission indicates in its reports those responsible for concrete ceasefire violations, should such violations occur.

The Trilateral Contact Group consists of senior representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

Original text of agreement (in Russian language): https://www.osce.org/ru/cio/237676