At the recent Contact Group meeting in Minsk, one of the working security subgroup’s priorities was to enhance activities on the coordination of three new sites for the further disengagement of forces and assets. DPR Foreign Minister and plenipotentiary to Minsk Natalya Nikonorova commented on the negotiation results.
“There was no understanding gained by the parties on the final coordinates of the site boundaries even regarding the only matching location near the Oktyabr-Gnutovo entry-exit checkpoint.
The proposal set forward by Ukraine does not take account of the main principle of forces and assets disengagement provided for by the Framework Decision — equivalent and parity withdrawal from the occupied positions. This principle has not been observed in other proposals of the Ukrainian party on new sites either,” Nikonorova said.
The plenipotentiary added that, by the next meeting in Minsk, representatives of the Republic intend to work out in detail the coordinates proposed by the Ukrainian party for the this and other locations in order to offer reasoned parity options that would meet the requirements of the Framework Decision.