Implementation of ‘Minsk’ requires additional efforts and political will of parties – Ambassador Grau
Grau said this after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing on February 17, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"A few days ago, on February 12, six years elapsed from the signing of the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, which, together with the Minsk Protocol and the Minsk Memorandum, constitute the single political framework for the peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine," she said.
Participants of the TCG meetings pledged commitment to the Minsk agreements. "Nevertheless, additional efforts and the political will of the sides are still required for their implementation," Grau noted.
Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire have contributed to a significant reduction of the kinetic activity in the conflict zone, although recently an increase in the number of ceasefire violations has been recorded. This was the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Security Working Group.
The Political Working Group addressed issues related to the implementation of the tasking given by the TCG to develop a draft action plan in full compliance with the Minsk agreements. "I call on the Working Group members to demonstrate political will for compromise and make mutual concessions to bring their positions closer," the ambassador said.
The Humanitarian Working Group focused on removing obstacles to the opening and proper functioning of the entry-exit crossing points (EECPs) near Zolote and Shchastia of the Luhansk region. During the Working Group's discussions, issues of the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees were also duly considered.
Participants in the Economic Working Group debated current questions of water supplies across the contact line as well as the provision of mobile communications by “Vodafone-Ukraine” in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. A possible international inspection of the storage sites of radioactive materials in the occupied Donbas was also discussed.
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