The Special Representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Martin Sajdik, has welcomed the decision by the parties to the Donbas conflict to begin withdrawing from Petrivske on Nov. 9.
“I welcome the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group, taken with the participation of representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, to start the renewed withdrawal of forces and hardware at the disengagement area of Petrivske on November 9, 2019 at 12:00 (Kyiv time),” Sajdik said in a statement released by the OSCE’s press service on Nov. 8.
He recalled that on Nov. 4 he urged the sides to use the successful experience of disengagement in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote and do whatever was necessary to relaunch the process in Petrivske.
“At the same time, I would like to underline the constructive work of the sides, which, in the absence of an initial consensus on the disengagement date in Petrivske area, were nevertheless able to find common ground for the beginning of such withdrawal, based on the understanding that it should be fulfilled in a mirror-like and synchronous manner,” Sajdik said.
He also expressed his confidence that the implementation of the TCG Framework decision on disengagement will help boost confidence between the conflicting sides and advance the negotiation process.
It was reported that disengagement at the two sites in the Luhansk region was complete. Ukraine said it was now ready to begin withdrawing forces and hardware in Bohdanivka and Petrivske, Donetsk region, provided there was no shelling for seven days.
On Nov. 8 morning the commander of the Joint Forces Operation, Volodymyr Kravchenko, announced readiness to begin disengagement at noon, Nov. 8, provided the other side did likewise.
Later the JFO headquarters said there was no response from the hostile side. The disengagement was postponed until noon on Nov. 9.
