Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine informed about results of Trilateral Contact Group

MINSK, 22 September 2016 - Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) made the following press statement after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its four Working Groups in Minsk on 21 September 2016:

“I have already informed you about today’s achievement  – the signing of the Framework Agreement on Disengagement of Forces and Hardware, as well as on the establishment of three areas of disengagement in Zolote, Petrivske and Stanytsia Luhanska.

I would like to focus on the results of the Working Group on Humanitarian Issues. In this regard, I would like to mention that on 17 September 2016 another release of six detainees took place. Vladimir Zhemchugov is one of them. He has personally suffered from the conflict, leaving him disabled. Zhemchugov’s family has struggled for his release from detention in the Luhansk region for a long time.

I would herewith like to express my gratitude to all involved in his release. This is another proof of the fact that if the sides wish, they can achieve positive results.

The Coordinator of the Working Group on Humanitarian Issues, Ambassador Toni Frisch, reported about his visit to a detention facility in Starobilsk, where he met detainees from certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

It is positive that, at today’s TCG meeting, the representative from certain areas in Donetsk region agreed to Ambassador Frisch’s visit to detention facilities there. We believe that such visits should be conducted according to international humanitarian standards.

The Working Group on Political Issues discussed the modalities of local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the so-called "Steinmeier formula", as well as amnesty issues.

After the last TCG meeting, I announced that a high-level meeting of the Ministries of Energy of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was supposed to take place. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet, but the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to hold this meeting in the near future.

As in previous meetings, the issue of water supply in the "Karbonyt" system was discussed.”

The next round of meetings of the Tritaleral Contact Group and its Working Groups will be held on 5 October 2016.