Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Sajdik after Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 13 March 2019

MINSK, 13 March 2019 – 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 13 March 2019:

“A few days ago, the Security Working Group reached a decision on recommitment to the ceasefire, starting from 8 March 2019.

Although the first days that followed showed a reduction of ceasefire violations by 61% as compared with the beginning of March 2019, I don’t find the results of this ceasefire satisfactory.

In this regard, I once again call on the sides to take all necessary steps to ensure a reliable, sustainable and long-lasting ceasefire.

This was, of course, the key topic of discussion in the Security Working Group today. Demining was also one of the priority issues.

The Humanitarian Working Group considered questions related to the exchange of detainees, as well as necessary improvements to the conditions for crossing the contact line.

The Economic Working Group discussed current issues of water delivery in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including the necessary repairs of infrastructure and compliance with the audit schedule of the "Voda Donbasa" company. Another discussion topic was the payment of pensions to the residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

On the agenda of the Political Working Group were two non-papers prepared by the Co-ordinator, Ambassador Pierre Morel, dedicated to the discussion of the status quo on the implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’ as well as to the topic of amnesty.”