MINSK, 29 March (BelTA) – There is no alternative to the Minsk agreements, reads a statement by the trilateral contact group on resolving the conflict in Ukraine and representatives of certain districts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast that was read out by Martin Sajdik, OSCE's special representative in the trilateral contact group, in Minsk on 29 March, BelTA has learned.
The parties again stressed the need for full implementation of the Minsk agreements. “There is no alternative to the Minsk accords. The trilateral contact group together with representatives of certain districts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast intends to step up its work in the areas of security, politics, humanitarian affairs and economy,” the statement reads.
At the previous meeting held on 15 March Martin Sajdik expressed concerns over the situation in eastern Ukraine. The state of affairs does not promote the implementation of the Minsk agreements. On the contrary, tensions between the parties to the conflict have been further heightening. The diplomat expressed hope that the parties will find ways to rectify the situation. These hopes have been strengthened by today's agreements that made part of the statements made by the trilateral contact group and representatives of certain districts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast. In particular, an agreement was reached on a ceasefire in the east of Ukraine for the duration of the Easter holidays starting on 1 April.
