"We express concerns about the latest cases of armed clashes this weekend, including the use of heavy weaponry in the area of Shirokino and the Donetsk airport," the document reads.
"We call on all the sides to end the standoff and demonstrate readiness for full compliance with the ceasefire regime and the heavy weaponry withdrawal," the statement says.
OSCE mission
The ministers have also called to pull out heavy weaponry with the caliber of less than 100 mm and also tanks of all types. "We call on the trilateral Contact Group in coordination with the OSCE special monitoring mission to agree this timeframe. We call on all the sides to closely cooperate in the verification process," the document says.The statement says permanent access should be provided to the OSCE monitors for doing what is envisaged by their mandate and the Minsk agreements.
"We urge the sides to continue and complete the withdrawal of heavy weaponry as soon as possible so that this process is transparent and is controlled by the OSCE mission," it says.
Working sub-groups
The Normandy Four foreign ministers (Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany) have called for setting up working sub-groups as part of the Contact Group as soon as possible."We ordered our deputies to continue monitoring the observance of the Minsk agreements, including on swiftly launching working sub-groups and confirmed the support for their actions," the document reads.
"We call on the sides to immediately create working sub-groups as part of the Contact Group and agreed that there will be groups on political process, humanitarian issues, economic issues and amnesty," the statement says.
The Normandy Four foreign ministers said the sides should appoint their representatives in these sub-groups as soon as possible so that they could begin their work.
http://tass.ru/en/world/789080
14/4/15
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'Grave concern' about renewed Ukraine fighting, say European foreign ministers...
ReplyDeleteCeasefire must be ‘more comprehensively’ respected, says Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier, after meeting in Berlin with French, Russian and Ukrainian counterparts
French, German, Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers expressed “grave concern” on Tuesday about violations of a shaky ceasefire in separatist-held east Ukraine, but pledged to continue dialogue.
As surging fighting around hotspots put fresh pressure on the accord, the four gathered in Berlin late on Monday to assess progress in the truce deal agreed in February between the Ukraine government and pro-Russian rebels to end a conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people over the past year.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany admitted the five-hour-long talks had been “very long, very intensive and at times very contentious” given the tense situation on the ground.
“We must ensure that the ceasefire is respected a lot more comprehensively than it was in recent days,” he told reporters.
In a final statement, the four ministers expressed “grave concern at the recent outbreak of fights over the last weekend”.
This included the use of heavy weapons around the village of Shyrokyne, on the outskirts of the strategic port city of Mariupol, and at Donetsk airport.......theguardian.com
14/4/15
Foreign ministers demand fighting end in E. Ukraine...
ReplyDeleteForeign ministers from Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine called for an end to the renewed heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine following tough talks in Berlin on Monday.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters the talks had been “at times very controversial” but said all participants agreed there was no alternative to the ceasefire agreement signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk in February.
“We need to ensure that the ceasefire is adhered to far more strongly as fully as possible,” Steinmeier said.
The talks took place amid a sharp spike in hostilities in eastern Ukraine over the weekend. On Monday one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six were wounded in rebel-held territories.
Steinmeier said all parties had agreed to push ahead with the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line and to extend this to other categories of weapons, including tanks, armoured vehicles and heavy weapons smaller than 100 mm calibre.
The foreign ministers were also all willing to support the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire deal, further with money and personnel over the next few weeks....france24.com
14/4/15