Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Sajdik after Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 11 July 2018

MINSK, 11 July 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 11 July 2018:

“As you remember, two weeks ago, the Trilateral Contact Group re-affirmed its full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from1 July, 2018.

I am glad that the agreed cessation of fire is bringing results. Since it has entered into force, the number of ceasefire violations has significantly dropped, even though a certain increase could be observed over the past two days.

Also, according to the latest data provided by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), only one civilian casualty, an injury, has been registered. On behalf of the TCG, I would like to express my gratitude to, and support the efforts of, those committed to the ceasefire. Also, on behalf of the TCG, I call upon strict adherence to the ceasefire in the future.

Despite the reduction in the number of civilian casualties this year – less than half compared to the previous one – the population in the conflict area continues to suffer.

In this regard, the recommitment to the ceasefire needs to be matched by a concrete set of actions, namely the withdrawal of heavy weapons, disengagement, and demining. These particular aspects were addressed by the Co-ordinator of the Security Working Group and Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan.

The Economic Working Group continued its discussion of further steps to restore and improve the mobile communication of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR, respectively). The issue of water deliveries in the "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbassa" supply systems were also duly considered.

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.

No meeting of the Working Group on Humanitarian Issues was scheduled for today and, accordingly, it did not convene. The Working Group will meet in the TCG framework on 25 July 2018.”