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Ukraine’s president undermines Minsk agreements by his decree on Donbass blockade - DPR

“The Minsk process is under a threat after the decree,” he said

DONETSK, November 15. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s decree on the economic blockade of Donbass crudely violates the Minsk agreements, Vice Speaker of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said on Saturday.

“Poroshenko’s decree on economic blockade is another example of the crudest violation of the Minsk protocol,” Pushilin said specifying that Item 3 of the protocol necessitates the adoption of “a law on the special status of Donbass and its coordinated concept envisages economic benefits and money for restoration of the region” damaged in the armed conflict.

Pushilin said that Item 8 stipulates that Ukraine should improve the humanitarian situation and adopt a programme on Donbass rebuilding.

“The Minsk process is under a threat after the decree,” he said. “The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will have to assess this step taken by Ukraine.”

Earlier on Saturday, a decree was posted on the Ukrainian presidential website, bringing into force the resolution of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council of November 4 on urgent measures to stabilise the social and economic situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The decree includes, in particular, that the Verkhovna Rada parliament should adopt a bill on recognising invalid the law on a special self-rule status in certain parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as well as other instructions to the country’s ministries and agencies related to operation of social and economic structures in Donbass.

On September 20 the Contact Group on Ukraine adopted a memorandum on implementing a ceasefire. The nine-item document included a ban on all weapons, pulling back heavy weapons from the line of engagement and setting up a buffer zone of 15 kilometres. The memorandum also entrusts the OSCE with a task of controlling implementation of the agreements.

The previous meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine was held in Minsk on September 5 when the sides adopted a 12-item protocol on peace settlement in Ukraine, with agreements on a ceasefire and exchange of prisoners.

On September 3 Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested his seven-item plan to settle the crisis in Ukraine.