Serhii Pohoreltsev
Ukranian Ambassador to Spain
The agreements contained within the Minsk Protocol of 5 September 2014 and the Minsk Memorandum of 19 September 2014, agreed and signed by the participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (L. Kuchma on behalf of Ukraine, М. Zurabov for the Russian Federation, H.Tagliavini for the OSCE, and also by А. Zakharchenko and І. Plotnytskyy as physical people) correspond to the Ukrainian President’s Peace Plan.
The Minsk Protocol outlines:
- An immediate bilateral ceasefire.
- Ensure the monitoring and verification by the OSCE of the ceasefire and the non use of force.
- A decentralisation of power.
- Ensure the permanent monitoring of the Ukrainian-Russian border and verification by the OSCE with the creation of security zones in the border regions of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
- To immediately release all hostages and illegally detained persons.
- A law on preventing the prosecution and punishment of persons in connection with the events that have taken place in some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
- Continue the inclusive national dialogue.
- To take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Donbas.
- Ensure early local elections in accordance with the law of Ukraine “about local government provisional arrangements in some areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts” (law on the special status).
- Withdraw the illegal armed groups, military equipment, as well as fighters and mercenaries from Ukraine.
- To adopt the program of economic recovery and reconstruction of Donbas region.
The Minsk Memorandum anticipates specific steps, aimed to the compliance with agreements when it comes to a ceasefire in Donbas, specifically the disarmament, which will help avoid the use of weapons and launching offensives, and will make it possible to start lifting mines. The document confirms the agreement on the creation of the necessary conditions for the OSCE’s Monitoring Commission to monitor the non use of force.
Taking into account that Russia does not wish to negotiate in other international formats, in the first place that of Normandy or Geneva, up to this point the Minsk agreements are the only foundation for the regulation of the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Their rejection or modification would mean a return to square one in the negotiation process. In reality, both documents are not being obeyed by the Russians or by the terrorists.
Total compliance with the aforementioned agreements would allow peace to be achieved, as well as ensuring the regulation of the situation in Donbas, respecting the territorial sovereignty and integrity of our State.
It cannot be chosen which agreements to follow and which to ignore. It is an integral document, its logic has to be followed; from the ceasefire to Donbas’ return to Ukraine’s legal oversight.
The Trilateral Contact Group, formed by representatives from Ukraine (L. Kuchma), Russia (M. Zurabov) and the special representative of the head of the OSCE (H. Tagliavini) was created with the aim of implementing the Ukrainian President’s Peace Plan. Regular meetings of the commission take place in Kiev. The pacts that are agreed by the group, are approved by consensus. The group is in contact with the OSCE’s Monitoring Commission, and both meetings in person and via video-conference are carried out, with the participation of people who control the situation in certain areas of the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Ukraine supports the Trilateral Contact Group’s work, as a key mechanism of negotiation to ensure compliance with the Peace Plan of the Ukrainian President.
Within the framework of the Minsk Protocol, there is room for the approval of the steps to be taken to regulate peace by the Trilateral Contact Group, with a peaceful resolution of the conflict and consultations with representatives from the illegal military formations.
The Minsk format is currently the only negotiation platform available to carry out consultations with participation from the Trilateral Contact Group and representatives of certain regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. The first meetings were carried out in Donetsk, but until now Minsk is the only acceptable location for all parties. We are willing to carry out consultations in Kiev, Mariupol, Dnipropetrovsk, or any other Ukrainian city. The security guarantee for the members of the consultations are part of the Minsk agreements.
The Ukrainian part is always willing to celebrate meetings in the Minsk format. The principal demand is to achieve a result, which is to say, compliance with the agreements which were approved, and for the following steps to be followed for their implementation.
The Ukrainian government does not negotiate with terrorists. The Ukrainian party is represented within the Minsk format by Ukraine’s second president; L. Kuchma.
Participation of representatives of the illegal formations from Eastern Ukraine, the so called “Donests Popular Republic” (DNR) and the “Luhansk Popular Republic” does not equate to recognition of their status. Their signatures on the Minsk documents do not constitute a declaration of their “charges” in DNR or LNR.
