Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 16 September 2020

KYIV, 17 September  2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

“The ceasefire continues overall to be effective. The civilian population feels safer.

Participants of the TCG meeting agreed that, almost two months after the "Measures to strengthen the ceasefire" took effect, a thorough stocktaking of various aspects of their operation should be carried out.

I regret to say that the ongoing discussion on the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 795-IX "On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020" did not allow the TCG to come to solutions on other issues.

Today, assessment of the general security situation in the conflict zone and compliance with the ceasefire were in the focus of discussions of the Security Working Group.

The Humanitarian Working Group, with the participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, discussed ICRC access to conflict-related detainees, as well as issues of mutual release and exchange of the latter.

The meeting participants also provided information on the progress of preparations for the simultaneous opening of additional entry-exit crossing points in Zolote and Shchastya in the Luhansk region.

The Economic Working Group considered issues related to the return of freight cars that are located in the non-government controlled areas of Ukraine to "Ukrainian Railways".

In addition, water supply matters in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as environmental issues associated with the situation in flooded coalmines along the line of contact on its both sides, were duly considered.

The discussion of the Political Working Group was mainly devoted to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 795-IX, what again did not allow to address the issues on the agenda, aimed at the implementation of the Minsk Agreements”.