Joint Statement by the OSCE Secretary General and the OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine on the implementation of the Minsk package

KYIV, 13 February 2015 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today issued a joint statement in Kyiv on the implementation of the Minsk package of measures agreed yesterday by the Trilateral Contact Group:

In the past few weeks, a sharp upsurge in violence in eastern Ukraine has affected an increasing number of people, sending a new wave of civilians from their homes in a desperate search for safer ground.

Now is the time for peace to take hold. The package of measures announced in Minsk on Thursday is the best roadmap available to bring about calm in the turbulent conflict region. Common sense and political will must prevail. We need a durable ceasefire.

We fully support what the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, has said: “I encourage all sides to seize the opportunity that this package presents to cease hostilities and ease tensions.”

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission stands ready to monitor the implementation of a ceasefire, and to engage with all sides that are entrusted to uphold the implementation of the peace agreement. This includes facilitating the withdrawal of heavy weapons, monitoring and verifying the withdrawal of heavy weapons, and observing the removal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and armed individuals.

In order to facilitate the monitoring of a ceasefire the SMM will operationalize a reconfiguration to immediately increase the number of monitors in the east to 350. It will also enhance its capabilities by deploying modern technology where possible. The Mission will adapt and adjust to the requirements of yesterday’s Minsk agreement in line with its mandate. It looks forward to co-operating with all international partners.

To effectively support the Minsk package, the Mission will require secure and unrestricted access to all areas of eastern Ukraine, including border regions.

The OSCE expects full adherence by all parties to the package of measures.