MOSCOW - The Package of Measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukraine may be extended to 2016 without the signing of additional agreements, a source from a group organizing the negotiations told Interfax on Friday.
“It is obvious that the parties will be unable to implement all of the Package of Measures’ provisions by the deadlines it stipulates, that is, by the end of 2015. Its extension to 2016 is inevitable. The document is likely to be extended in due course automatically, without the signing of additional agreements,” the source said.
The source did not rule out, however, that the extension of the Package of Measures could be put on the agenda of the Trilateral Contact Group’s meeting before the end of the year.
“It’s possible that the parties could put the issue on the agenda before the end of the year – there are still two months ahead – and some more specific decision might be made. The issue is not on the agenda so far,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said earlier that the implementation of the Minsk Agreements would be extended to 2016, and they will remain in effect as long as it takes to implement them.
