Contact Group's framework resolution to separate forces, means signed in Minsk - Kuchma's spokesperson
KYIV. Sept 21 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian side has signed the Trilateral Contact Group's framework resolution in Minsk to separate the forces and means of both parties to the conflict on the contact line in eastern Ukraine, says Darka Olifer, a spokesperson of Ukrainian representative in the group, former President Leonid Kuchma.
"Ukraine is consistently implementing the obligations assumed as part of the Minsk Agreements, and is strictly observing the ceasefire. Further to this, the Ukrainian side has signed the framework resolution to ensure the implementation of the Minsk Agreements by separate areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (DPR and LPR)," Olifer wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday.
The document envisages the relief of tensions in the area of the contact line and factually creates conditions, under which small arms cannot be utilized for shelling, she said. Besides, the framework resolution envisions the full implementation of the Trilateral Contact Group's previous agreements to pull back weapons with a caliber of less than 100 millimeters from the contact line.
Under the framework agreement to separate the forces and means the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is performing "on a permanent basis, the monitoring and verification of the process to separate the forces and means on the negotiated sections of disengagement."
"It should be underlined that this separation is planned only on three sections with the clearly set coordinates. Besides, the Ukrainian side thinks that while implementing this framework resolution the approaches to the likely separation of the forces and means along the entire dividing line can be put in practice," Olifer said.
To avoid a frivolous interpretation of the parameters and the status of the dividing line, the text of the framework resolution stipulated that the document is endorsed to add on the protocol of September 5, 2014, the memorandum of September 19, 2014, the Package of Measures to implement the Minsk Agreements of February 12, 2015.
A framework resolution has been signed by the envoys from all of the parties: from Ukraine - Kuchma, from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - Martin Sajdik and from Russia - Boris Gryzlov.
The Ukrainian side has initiated the document, a source close to the negotiating process in the Trilateral Contact Group told Interfax.
"The document on the implementation of the Package of Measures on the ceasefire regime signed at the initiative of the Ukrainian side is intended to make the separate areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions implement the obligations assumed by them," he said.