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Demilitarized zone, Kiev-Donetsk dialogue to be focus of Normandy 4 talks in Minsk - source
Demilitarized zone, Kiev-Donetsk dialogue to be focus of Normandy 4 talks in Minsk - source
10
February, 2015
The
creation of a demilitarized zone in southeast Ukraine and the start
of a peace dialogue between Kiev and the rebels are to top the agenda
of the ‘Normandy Four’ talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on
Wednesday, a source told RIA Novosti.
During
the talks, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE), Germany and France are expected to insist on Russia taking
responsibility for controlling the establishment of the demilitarized
zone in southeast Ukraine, the source added.
Meanwhile,
Russia believes that it’s the OSCE that should be responsible for
the establishment of the demilitarized zone.
Those
proposals were voiced by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French
President Francois Hollande during talks with Vladimir Putin in
Moscow on Friday, the source said.
Russia’s
permanent representative to the OSCE, Andrey Kelin, told RT that the
idea of a demilitarized zone in southeast Ukraine “does exist.”
“But
we need more specification: How large will it be? What kind of
weapons may be kept inside this zone? I feel that one may come to a
result that it should be totally weapon-free zone with only police or
those who are having sidearms,” he said.
According
to Kelin, control over such a zone “might be attributed to OSCE
observers,” but the watchdog would have to determine “how it
corresponds to the mandate of the current mission of OSCE, how many
forces should be involved, lots and lots of questions.”
The
OSCE was only supposed to observe the withdrawal of heavy weapons
under the Minsk agreement of September 2014, the Russian OSCE
representative said.
According
to the RIA's source “permanent dialogue” would also require
representatives of Kiev and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and
Lugansk to meet every two or three weeks.
Later
in the day, as the contact group was paving the way to the Minsk
meeting, TASS news agency sources said the conflicting sides, Russia,
and the OSCE worked out a ceasefire plan for eastern Ukraine and ways
to monitor it. A heavy weapons withdrawal scheme was also reportedly
agreed upon.
The
‘Normandy Four’ leaders believe the outcome of the Minsk talks
will determine the US decision on whether to supply arms to the Kiev
authorities, the source said.
The
rebel forces assured Moscow that they’re ready to implement a
ceasefire as soon as Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko gives the
same order to the Ukrainian military.
The
Minsk talks on Wednesday are “another huge chance…to take
a big first step towards de-escalation” in
southeastern Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
said.
"But
nothing has been resolved yet. The taking place of the summit alone
is no guarantee of its success. I urge and expect Moscow and
Kiev...to really seize this chance," Steinmeier
said, as quoted by Reuters.
Last
week, the leaders of Germany and France performed surprise visits to
Kiev and Moscow to discuss their new peace proposals with Putin and
Poroshenko.
During
those meetings, Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France agreed to hold
joint talks, which will take place in Minsk on Wednesday.
The
trips were announced while US Secretary of State, John Kerry, was in
Kiev, speaking of possible American weapons supplies to Ukrainian
government troops.
The
EU objects plans to arm Kiev, with Merkel telling Obama on her US
visit on Monday that there’s no military solution to the Ukrainian
crisis.
Kiev
and rebels previously signed a peace deal last September, but if
failed to hold, being violated by both sides on a daily basis.
Large-scale
warfare resumed in eastern Ukraine shortly after the New Year as Kiev
launched a massive, yet fruitful assault on the militia’s
positions, provoking their counter offensive.
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