OSCE Chairperson-in-Office calls on all sides of Ukrainian conflict to carry out Minsk arrangements

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter welcomed ongoing international efforts at various levels following the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel on 4 and 5 December aimed at restoring peace and stability in eastern Ukraine, including the work of the Trilateral Contact Group consisting of senior representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. The Contact Group has met several times since the Ministerial Council to explore ways forward. OSCE official web-site informs about this.

In this context, Burkhalter also stressed the importance of the local arrangements on the ground, undertaken in the framework of the bilateral Ukrainian-Russian Center for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), contributing to the de-escalation of tension, the full respect of the cease-fire and the withdrawal of heavy military equipment from the contact line, as envisaged by the Minsk Protocol and the Minsk Memorandum of 5 September and 19 September 2014, respectively. Burkhalter underlined the significant decrease in hostilities after 9 December 2014 as a positive sign.

At the same time, Burkhalter called all sides engaged in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to spare no efforts to fully implement all provisions of the Minsk arrangements, including those concerning the release of all hostages and illegally detained persons, the withdrawal of illegally armed formations and foreign troops with their equipment from the territory of Ukraine, the securing of the Ukrainian-Russian state border with unhindered monitoring by the OSCE, inclusive political dialogue as well as the arrangements concerning the improvement of the humanitarian situation and economic rehabilitation in the conflict zone.

“The Minsk arrangements should be considered in their entirety and any attempts to take a selective approach towards the implementation of their provisions or their re-negotiation cannot be considered as constructive,” Burkhalter said. “I appeal to all sides of the conflict in eastern Ukraine to adhere to their commitments and resume without further delay their contacts and consultations aimed at the full implementation of the Minsk arrangements in conformity with their letter and spirit.”

The Chairperson-in-Office stressed that he and his Special Representative in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, remain ready to assist all sides in their efforts for peace in eastern Ukraine.