Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Sajdik after Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 27 March 2019

MINSK, 27 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 27 March 2019:

“As of today, four days are left before the elections in Ukraine. In my observations of the election campaign and in communication with people, I became convinced that achieving peace in the east of Ukraine is one of the main topics of the pre-election discussion. I have also noticed this during my recent trip to western Ukraine. This proves that our work here, in Minsk, is essential, and many people in Ukraine expect real results from us, namely peace. I just would like to say that both the OSCE and I personally shall continue to make every effort to achieve this goal.

As you know, on 20 March 2019 sixty detainees not related to the conflict were transferred from certain areas of Luhansk region to the government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

Welcoming this fact, I would like to emphasize the need for the further transfers of such detainees so that they can serve their sentences closer to their families and friends.

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

In his report on the work of the Security Group, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan expressed his deep concern about the growing number of ceasefire violations.

He stressed the need for additional measures to ensure safety for the civilian population, in particular by humanitarian demining.

The Economic Working Group continued its search for solutions to topical issues of water supply in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions on both sides of the line of contact. Certain aspects of restoring and improving mobile communications based on the Vodafone system were also duly considered.

The Political Working Group took forward its exchanges on its well-known agenda, namely the implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and the modalities of local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as stipulated by the Minsk agreements.”