Kiev derails second session of humanitarian subgroup in a row - LPR delegation

Ukrainian representatives derailed the second session of the Contact Group humanitarian subgroup in a row, press secretary of the Lugansk People’s Republic delegation in the Contact Group Maria Kovshar said.

“Ukraine has detailed the second session of the working group on humanitarian issues,” Kovshar said. “To block the subgroup’s work, Ukraine used the procedural issue as at the previous session.”

The true reason behind the detailing of the talks remains unchanged: Ukraine is unwilling to meet its commitments on all agenda issues such as the dropping of criminal prosecution (against prisoner exchange participants) and the opportunity to prepare new prisoner exchanges,” she said.

Also, Ukraine has been carried away with the opening of two new crossing points on the contact line. They have long been trying to declare them as open although in actual fact, they refuse to not only coordinate all technical parameters of their operation, but also to provide round-the-clock indefinite security guarantees,” Kovshar said.

The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. Conflict settlement relies on the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, signed on February 12, 2015 in the Belarussian capital by the Contact Group members and coordinated by the Normandy Four heads of states (Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine). The UN Security Council approved the document by Resolution No 2202 of February 17, 2015 and called upon the parties to ensure its implementation.

The document provides for comprehensive ceasefire, withdrawal of all heavy weapons from the contact line, starting a dialog on reconstruction of social and economic ties between Kiev and Donbass. It also envisages carrying out constitutional reform in Ukraine providing for decentralization and adopting permanent legislation on a special status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

To facilitate the work of the Contact Group, four working groups were set up under its aegis to deal with issues of security, politics, return of internally displaced people and refuges, as well as with social, humanitarian, economic and rehabilitation issues.*i*b

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