Statement of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Martin Sajdik after the Trilateral Contact Group Meeting on 15 November 2017

MINSK, 15 November 2017 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Martin Sajdik, delivered the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 15 November 2017:

“In view of the recent events in eastern Ukraine, the issues of compliance with the ceasefire and civilians’ security in the conflict zone were widely discussed today both in the TCG and in its Working Group on Security Issues.

The number of ceasefire violations has lately increased. Last week, compared to the previous one, this number rose by 14 percent, and yesterday - just over one day - it reached almost two thousand. This, I believe, was the saddest record in the second half of the year.

The TCG once again stressed that all ceasefire violations, particularly if close to civilian infrastructure facilities, pose a threat to the population.

Being fully aware of these risks, the sides reiterated their commitment to the comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and agreed on the following Statement:

“The Trilateral Contact Group and the representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions reiterate their full commitment to the ceasefire declared on the occasion of the beginning of the school year, and to the unconditional implementation of additional measures to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable permanent ceasefire, including the implementation of all relevant orders”.

The outcomes of the other Working Groups are:

The participants of the Economic Working Group discussed the issue of water deliveries, specifically current settlements and the payment of arrears for supplied water. In particular, water deliveries in the "Karbonyt" system were discussed. I look forward to the sides promptly coming to the decisions that would allow the full-fledged operation of this water supply system.

The Working Group also considered possibilities for repaying arrears to the former employees of the Ukrainian Railways company in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR).

In the Humanitarian Working Group, the Coordinator, Ambassador Toni Frisch, reported on his trip to the Luhansk region, where he visited detention centers on both the sides of the contact line, as well as the checkpoints Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska.

The Working Group also continued its discussions on a possible exchange of detainees. As last time, I strongly urge the sides to demonstrate compassion and do everything possible to release the detainees until the New Year and Christmas holidays.

The Political Working Group continued to discuss issues related to the implementation modalities of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’ in the context of the extension of the Law on special status of CADR and CALR and the talks in the Normandy format.”