MINSK, 12 April (BelTA) – The situation in the conflict zone in Ukraine's east is getting better but the state of affairs is still dissatisfactory, BelTA learned from the OSCE's special representative in the trilateral contact group on Ukraine Martin Sajdik on 12 April.
Martin Sajdik said: “Unfortunately, despite the temporary improvement of the situation in the conflict zone the state of affairs is still far from satisfactory.” This is why the trilateral contact group and representatives of several districts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast have reaffirmed their adherence to observing the ceasefire regime, which was discussed during the previous meeting in Minsk on 29 March.
Martin Sajdik said he hopes that the ceasefire arrangements will be observed during the forthcoming Easter holidays. “Due to the forthcoming Easter holiday residents of Eastern Ukraine should be able to calmly and safely visit churches and cemeteries,” stressed Martin Sajdik. “It is truly necessary. People should be able to calmly spend the Easter holidays.”
Humanitarian affairs are always high on the agenda of negotiations of the contact group on Ukraine. The discussion held on 12 April focused on releasing the people, who are being held due to the conflict. Just like the previous time attention was paid to creating a mechanism involving a third party to verify desires of the citizens, who, after release, would like to stay where they were held. “As a positive step I would like to mention yesterday's handover of 15 POWs to the Ukrainian side for consequent service of sentence,” added Martin Sajdik.
