Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Sajdik after meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 26 April 2017

MINSK, 27 April 2017 – 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 three working groups in Minsk on 26 April 2017:

“As you know, on 23 April, a patrol member of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine  was killed in the conflict zone in  easern Ukraine and two were injured.

Because of these tragic events, the meeting of the Working Group on Security Issues did not take place this week. However, the Coordinator of the Working Group, Ambassador Ertuğrul Apakan, in his capacity as of the Chief Monitor of OSCE SMM contacted TCG today via a video conference. Members of the TCG expressed their condolences to Ambassador Apakan and the relatives of the killed patrol member and wished the injured colleagues a speedy recovery.

Afterwards, the TCG listened to the information provided by the Chief Monitor Apakan on the tragic accident on 23 April 2017 and confirmed that the Working Group on Security Issues would resume its activities in the near future.

On my own behalf, I would like to add that the events of 23 April give clear evidence that security issues in the conflict zone, and above all, full compliance with the cessation of fire, withdrawal of heavy weapons and demining are key preconditions in advancing the peace process, which the TCG constantly calls for. As you remember, the TCG made such statements, in particular, on 29 March, 2017 and 12 April, 2017.

As in the previous meetings, humanitarian issues occupied an important place at our meetings in Minsk today. Again, the discussion focused on the release of detainees in relation to the conflict. An important task in this context is the implementation of the mechanism, which would enable a third party to mediate in the attestation procedure for the detainees who, after their release, prefer to stay in the territory where they were in detention.

I am glad that today the parties were able to agree on the procedural issues related to this mechanism, and it shall soon be implemented.

The Working Group on Economic Issues discussed the Resolution of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council on suspension of cargo transport across the line of contact, except humanitarian cargo, adopted in March 2017. Besides, the introduction of the so-called "external management" for enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction operating on the territory of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions was discussed. Unfortunately, no decisions on these issues were made.

More progress was achieved on water supply issues in the CALR. During the discussions, the parties demonstrated readiness to pay off their debts and fully resume water supplies.

In the political field, the discussion focused on issues related to the so-called ’Steinmeier formula’.

The next meeting of the TCG and its working groups will be held on 15 May 2017.