Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chair in Ukraine and in Trilateral Contact Group Sajdik after Meeting of TCG and working groups in Minsk on 4 Sep 2019

MINSK, 4 September 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its working groups in Minsk on 4 September 2019:

“As you know, tomorrow marks the fifth anniversary since the Minsk Protocol was signed. In this vein, the TCG participants once again re-asserted their firm commitment to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

In this context, I also welcome the meeting of the Normandy Four diplomatic advisers on 2 September 2019 in Berlin.

The results of the recent TCG meetings inspire some optimism.

The ceasefire that had been agreed by the TCG and entered into force on 21 July 2019 continues to yield results despite some deterioration of the situation in the last days.

According to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, no civilian casualties have been recorded over the last two weeks. Besides, this year the number of civilian casualties remains on the lowest level since the beginning of the conflict.

Once again, I urge all the sides to fully comply with their commitments, especially with a view to the beginning of the school year.

I also want to note the positive dynamics in the implementation of the TCG decision concerning the repair works of the bridge at Stanytsia Luhanska.

In particular, mine clearance of the pathway to the bridge has been completed. Now the fortifications are being dismantled. This enables to launch the preparation and the subsequent repair works.

Today, all of these issues have been in the focus of the TCG and the Security Working Group. In addition, the prospects of renewal of the disengagement of forces and hardware in Zolote and Petrivske were discussed.

The Economic Working Group, among other topics, paid particular attention to water supply and property issues in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Humanitarian Working Group focused on the questions related to the exchange of detainees.

The Political Working Group discussed topics related to the implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty, local elections and decentralization”.