Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Sajdik after meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on 19 July 2017

MINSK, 20 July 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 working groups in Minsk on 19 July 2017:

“Firstly, let me say a few words about the so-called "Malorossiya". Today, in the Trilateral Contact Group, the representative of the Russian Federation in the TCG confirmed his statement of yesterday on this issue. Representatives of Ukraine referred to yesterday’s reaction of President Petro Poroshenko. Participants from certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions reiterated their previous statements. For my part, I would like to draw your attention to the reaction of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz.

Now let me talk about the content of today's negotiations in the Working Groups.

In the Security Working Group it was noted that the “harvest ceasefire” announced by the TCG on 21 June 2017 had contributed to the reduction of shelling. However, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission continues to register ceasefire violations, mainly in the so-called “hot spots” near the Popasna-Pervomaisk area, Mariupol, Svitlodarsk and in the triangle Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport.

The Working Group also returned to the issue of protection of critical infrastructure. The parties expressed their commitment to create "safety zones" around the Vasylivka Pumping Station and Donetsk Filtration Station. The discussion on the disengagement of forces and hardware in the area of ​​Stanytsia Luhanska continued. In this regard, I would like to express my true hope for positive decisions to be made ahead of the teleconference of the Normandy Four Head of States on 24 July 2017.

The Working Group on Economic Issues summed up the payment for water supplies to certain areas of the Luhansk region (CALR). The new payment mechanism is operating successfully. Yet, there are still further steps to be taken by CALR in order to allow for the reopening of the Petrovsky pipeline.

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues continued to clear the lists of detainees in relation to the conflict. More positions on the lists have been agreed. The sides also exchanged views on the old issue of repairing access to the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska.

Finally, the Working Group on Political Issues continued the discussion of questions related to the so-called ’Steinmeier formula’ in the context of the recent meetings of the Normandy Four.”