Press Statement of the OSCE Chair’s Special Representative Sajdik after Meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk on 21 December 2016
MINSK, 21 December – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Martin Sajdik made the following press statement after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 21 December 2016:
“Today а regular round of negotiations took place, including а meeting of the TCG, consultations with representatives from certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as well as meetings of Working Groups.
The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues had a thorough discussion on the release of persons detained in the context of the conflict. During this week, several persons have been released both by the Ukrainian side and by certain areas of Donetsk region.
The Ukrainian side expressed its readiness to unilaterally release additional 15 people, as a humanitarian gesture, by the end of this year, among them women and wounded. I appreciate and welcome this move. I hope that it will give impetus to reciprocal steps by certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
There was a lively exchange of proposals for the legal settlement of water supply issues and payments for water delivery. Electricity supply in Donetsk and Luhansk regions has also been discussed by the stakeholders recently. I am glad that, despite the fact that the work of the Working Group on Economic Issues remains blocked, discussion about economic issues is progressing.
In the political field, the discussion focused on the issues related to the ’Steinmeier formula’.
Today, the Working Group on Security Issues focused its attention on the full compliance with the ceasefire, disengagement of forces and hardware, as well as security at and around crossing points.
Much attention was paid to security issues at today's TCG meeting, too.
On behalf of the TCG, I would now like to make the following statement:
“We, the members of the Trilateral Contact Group and representatives from certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, stressing the necessity to ensure peace and tranquility in connection with the upcoming holidays, reaffirm our commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting at 00:00 on 24 December 2016 (Kyiv time).
We express our commitment to the implementation of Minsk agreements (the Minsk Protocol of 5 September 2014, the Minsk Memorandum of 19 September 2014 and the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements of 12 February 2015) and to effectively continuing the Minsk process in the new year.”
Personally, I would like to add that we will try to receive support for this initiative from the highest political level as well.
Looking at the end of the year, I would like to give my personal assessment that a significant number of obligations under the Minsk agreements have not been fully implemented in 2016. However, this lack of progress should not stop us from continuing our process next year, with renewed vigor and new enthusiasm! I also express gratitude to our hosts, the Belarusian side, for their hospitability and excellent support of our meetings.
The next meeting of TCG and its Working Groups will take place on 16 January 2017.