MINSK, 29 November (BelTA) – It is important to continue the talks on Ukraine both in the Normandy Four format and in the trilateral contact group, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov told reporters, BelTA has learned.
“We agreed that the work will be continued both in the 'Normandy format', at the level of experts, lawyers, military experts, diplomatic representatives and also in the contact group and its working groups. Without this format, it would be impossible to reach the final agreement. Only with all parties to the conflict (Kiev government and representatives of Donetsk and Lugansk) represented, final agreements can be reached,” the Russian minister said.
Sergei Lavrov said that the work of the working group for economic affairs of the contact group, which addresses important issues such as water supply, has been actually frozen, and this group has not convened since August. “Our today's joint decision is that this working group should resume its work immediately and solve the issues on the agenda,” the minister said.
Sergei Lavrov said that sending an armed OSCE mission to the east of Ukraine is not on the agenda. “There is no need for this. Today no one is talking about an armed OSCE mission or any other structure,” he said.
