MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – The parties to the conflict in Ukraine will have to make some more steps for the exchange of prisoners, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Martin Sajdik told the media on 18 December, BelTA has learned.
The discussion was mainly influenced by the decisions made at the recent Normandy Four summit. The diplomat stressed that following the Trilateral Contact Group meeting with the participation of representatives of the certain areas of Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast and “taking into account the recommendations reflected in the jointly agreed outcome of the Paris Summit and in accordance with his statement of 17 July 2019”, he reiterated his commitment to the ceasefire. According to Martin Sajdik, the Security Working Group launched a discussion to identify additional areas for the disengagement of forces. These are three new sites.
The special representative added that the talks were fully focused on the exchange of captives. “The parties made significant efforts to facilitate the release and exchange of conflict-related detainees before the end of the year. Some steps still need to be taken to actually meet all these expectations,” he said. The diplomat did not rule out that an agreement on the exchange of detainees could be reached via a videoconference.
“I think all parties have the intention to carry out this exchange. There are different technical aspects that need to be clarified,” the special representative added.
The Political Working Group discussed legal aspects of the special status of the certain areas of Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast. The Economic Working Group, as in the past meetings, considered current issues of water delivery across the line of contact.
Martin Sajdik noted that from 2017 until today the number of civilian deaths has decreased from 87 to 18. Eight children were killed last year. “None has been killed this year,” the diplomat said.
He said that soon he would leave his post of Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group. The diplomat held the post for about 4 years and a half. He added that this was the decision of his choice and thanked his colleagues in the Trilateral Contact Group: Leonid Kuchma, Boris Gryzlov, and also others involved in the negotiations. Martin Sajdik expressed his special gratitude to Belarus “for its sincere hospitality and support”. He also introduced his successor, Swiss diplomat Heidi Grau. She will present the results of the negotiations next time.
The next meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group is scheduled for 16 January.
On 9 December, Paris played host to the Normandy Four summit that featured the leaders of Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France. They agreed on the “all for all” POW swap in Donbass before 31 December 2019.