The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau, has expressed concern about the current security levels in the Donbas conflict zone.
“Over the last three weeks since our previous meeting, a spike in ceasefire violations could be observed. The figures of civilian casualties, including children, has also dramatically increased, likewise the scale of destruction of civilian infrastructure and property,” Grau said in a statement after a May 14 meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group.
“Such a development is absolutely unacceptable. I urge the signatories of the Minsk Agreements, following the decisions of the Normandy Four Summit in Paris, to exert their utmost efforts in order to agree on and reaffirm a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire,” she said.
“It is also unacceptable to anyhow restrict access of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission that, in accordance with its mandate, covers the entire territory of Ukraine, including for the purpose of monitoring and verification of compliance with the ceasefire,” Grau said.
“All of these issues were in the focus of the Security Working Group. In the course of discussion, the Coordinator called on the sides for their utmost restraint, to stabilize the situation in the conflict zone,” she said.
“Also, the Working Group discussed questions related to the identification of additional disengagement areas of forces and hardware as well as working out and implementation of the updated demining plan,” Grau said.
“The Political Working Group considered aspects related to the special status of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, as foreseen by the Minsk Agreements,” she said.
“The Humanitarian Working Group discussed the preparation of the next release and exchange of conflict-related detainees, as well as issues of simultaneous opening of additional entry-exit crossing points (EECPs) on the line of contact,” Grau said.
“The Economic Working Group addressed pressing issues of water supplies across the line of contact,” she said.
