Minsk, 6 October (BelTA) - The next meeting of Ukraine contact group is scheduled for 26 October, OSCE's special representative in the trilateral contact group on Ukraine Ambassador Martin Sajdik told the media on 5 October.
The meeting discussed problems of funding the orphanages, payments for water and electricity supplies, restoration of railways, and political issues. The parties also raised the issue of withdrawal of forces in some areas along the line of contact but failed to reach the agreement. “Each of the parties will announce the specific dates separately,” Ambassador Martin Sajdik said. As was previously reported, on 21 September the parties signed the agreement on de-escalation along the contact line. Plans have been made to set up safety zones in three populated localities: Zolotoye, Petrovskoye, and Stanitsa Luganskaya. It was expected that the process would begin in early October, but so far the situation remained uncertain.
Ambassador Martin Sajdik emphasized the importance of the agreement on the need to re-establish access to the pedestrian bridge (on the north bank of the Seversky Donets River) at the checkpoint Stanitsa Luganskaya before the onset of winter. The OSCE's Special Representative urged the stakeholders to provide the necessary support to the International Committee of the Red Cross in the restoration of the bridge, provide secure access to the territory, and to conduct demining.
“This is done in the interests of ordinary people,” Ambassador Martin Sajdik stressed
In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross is ready to allocate $700,000 to compensate for the electricity and water supply debts in the zone of conflict.
