The next round of negotiations of the contact group on the peaceful settlement in the Donbas and its sub-working groups will be held on Tuesday, September 29, in the Belarusian capital.

yesterday in Minsk behind closed doors meetings the participants of the subgroup on political issues and on security issues. In the last period of time in these sub-groups are the most tense discussion, and to speed up the process of finding a compromise, these thematic sub-groups intensified their own work schedule. Meanwhile, as long as the parties do not have the opportunity to come to a common opinion about the local elections in the Donbass and to initial the agreement about the discharge of weapons up to a caliber of 100 mm from the contact line.

As stated before the press Secretary of the Kiev envoy Leonid Kuchma Daria olifer, at a Regular meeting on 29 September in Minsk contact group will again discuss the results of the work of the thematic sub-groups and their proposals.


last last Friday the videoconference of the contact group authorized self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics side, According to the messenger LNR Vladislav Danego, concluded the observance lasting from 1 September to the silence mode, except for " certain provocations that do not affect the overall assessment ". Now the parties are expected to make the next step is to agree on a timetable for withdrawal of weapons up to a caliber of 100 mm, including its sequencing and verification.

It is not known at what stage is this work, because, As he said at the last meeting in Minsk on 22 September, the OSCE Commissioner Martin Sajdik, negotiators concluded on the need not to disclose details of the discussions, so as not to harm the process.

Meanwhile, As told on 24 September, the Commissioner of Kiev in the subgroup on safety Yevhen Marchuk, Authorized DND and LNR offer to withdraw all heavy weapons from the separation line in the Donbass at the same time on both sides of the conflict, while Kiev insists on a phased withdrawal - first the tanks, then artillery, and then mortars. According to his statement, after signing the document must be " two days of complete silence, that is the total absence of attacks, and only then is the withdrawal of tanks." Authorized Kiev also told That the Kiev party proposes to allocate four small plot, two in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where the most intense situation, and lead from this place of serious weapons. Authorized DND and LNR not agree with this proposal.

However, the results of the negotiations In proshedshiy Tuesday close sources reported on the possibility of initialing of the document about the diversion of arms on 29 September, if the parties can finally agree on the text on the negotiations of the subgroup on safety on September 28.


As to the discussion of local elections in the Donbass, In proshedshiy Tuesday, the parties almost reached a deadlock when discussing a compromise date of February of the coming year.

"in the discussions it turned out That, despite the proposal, election, or otherwise, will be held 18 October and 1 November in most parts of ARLA and ORDO (separate districts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions). This case was confirmed by the representatives of the ORDO and ORLA in the process of plenary discussion, "said then Sajdik, expressing" deep disappointment ". However, the Ukrainian Government has appointed elections to local authorities on 25 October.

However, according to sources, the DPR and LPR are ready to speak about early elections on 21 February, " if Kiev will unlock the law on the special status of Donbass ". Later the Plenipotentiary Representative of the DND Denis Putilin said That "despite the agreements reached before the study of the wording of article 10 of the law of Ukraine" on the special status " and the start of the act, Authorised Ukraine again refused to discuss the Matter and returned to our former position."

in addition, the DPR and LPR showed the Kiev road map towards the implementation of the Minsk agreements, According to which Kiev is obliged rather to approve the Amnesty law, to cancel the military activities in the Donbass, and also to unlock the law on the special status together with the adoption of a special law on elections. The Commissioner of Ukraine in the political subgroup of the Immortal novel described the behavior of the authorized DND and LNR in the subgroup As an ultimatum.

in the middle of last week the head of Ukraine said about the lack of progress in the political part of Minsk agreements." Fake elections in the occupied territories of Donbass will destroy the peace process, " he noted.


The upcoming meeting in Minsk will show whether the party is ready to significantly move forward in addressing contentious issues, or will wait for the "impulse" from the expected October 2 meeting of leaders " channel four ".

The Ukrainian authorities in April of last year began military action against the self-proclaimed LNR and DND. According to the final data of the UN, the victims of the conflict were about 7, 9 thousand people.

The settlement of the situation in the Donbas region is discussed, as well as among them, during meetings in Minsk the contact group, which since September of last year had already taken 3 of the document, regulating the steps to de-escalate the conflict.

sections: Politics