You're reading: Contact Group participants hope to extend ceasefire in Donbas until agreement on weapons withdrawal signed

The ceasefire, which was established in Donbas on Sep. 1, may be extended until the moment an agreement on the withdrawal of weapons of a caliber less than 100 mm is signed, LPR envoy Vladyslav Deineho told Interfax.

“During the contact group video conference the participants expressed hopes for the extension of the ceasefire regime in Donbas until the agreement on a withdrawal is signed. This ceasefire should later become the foundation of the implementation of the agreement,” Deineho said.

“The Contact Group and all its working bodies will meet in Minsk on Sep. 8. The main issue that will be addressed there is the withdrawal of weapons of caliber up to 100 mm and 120 mm caliber mortars. There is hope that a draft document, a fairly balanced one, will be prepared and we may consider signing it on [Sep.] 8,” Deineho was quoted by the Luhansk Information Center as saying.

“The working group on security issues has been working in Minsk for two days now. The process is going on. Unfortunately, it is going somewhat slower than expected. We expected them to finish the work on the draft document yesterday but they continue the work today,” Deineho said.

Deineho said that “we still hope to get a ready balanced draft by Sep. 8.”

The video conference participants on Friday pointed out the successful ceasefire observance by the conflict parties in Donbas.

“The video conference participants said the ceasefire regime remains in place and the use of combat equipment continues to be deterred,” he said.