Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Sajdik after Trilateral Contact Group Meeting of 27 June 2018

MINSK, 27 June 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 27 June 2018:

“Today, the TCG and its Working Groups focused on security issues in the conflict zone.

Based on the extensive discussions in the Working Group on Security Issues, the TСG adopted a Statement in relation with the beginning of the harvesting period:

Statement by the Trilateral Contact Group on a “Harvest Ceasefire”

“The Trilateral Contact Group, with the participation of representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, stressing the importance of ensuring peace and calm for the population in the conflict area:

• Re-affirm their full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from 1 July 2018 at 00 h 01 mn, Kyiv time;
• Re-assert their joint and firm commitment to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements”.

The Economic Working Group continued its discussion of further steps to restore and improve the mobile communication network of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR). The issues of water deliveries in the supply systems "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbasa", as well as pension payments, were also considered.

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues continued its discussion on the exchange of detainees and search for missing persons.

Another topic for the Working Group was the improvement of conditions for crossing the contact line, including possibilities for proper repairs of the pathway to the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska.

The Working Group on Political Issues further considered the implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and modalities of local elections in CADR and CALR.”