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Threat of provocations still real in Donbas — Russia’s OSCE envoy

De-escalation in Donbas, he is certain, paves the way for changes much-needed in the Constitution and prescribed by the Minsk Package of Agreements
Russia’s Permanent Representative at the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuyev
Russia’s Permanent Representative at the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich
© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuyev

MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Russia is concerned over sightings of radical groups along the line of contact in Donbas as earlier they have taken consecutive attempts to provoke an escalation of the conflict, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Alexander Lukashevich said. The text of his speech at a session of the OSCE Permanent Council was posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Friday.

"Proceeding from the fact, that official Kiev shoulders full responsibility for activities of all armed units on its side from the disengagement line," Lukashevich said.

De-escalation in Donbas, he is certain, paves the way for changes much-needed in the Constitution and prescribed by the Minsk Package of Agreements.

"Within the framework of the political working group, the sides have exchanged proposals on the contents of the law on elections," the Russian diplomat said. "We expect it will allow to reach a compromise on such a law. At the same time, other provisions of the Package of Measures linked to this — amnesty, the Constitution reform which would seal a special status of certain areas in Donbass on a permanent basis."

"As we could see, peculiarities of Ukraine’s process of law-making are as follows provided enough support from its Western partners the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s parliament] is capable — though not at the first attempt — of adopting the needed legitimate acts," Lukashevich said. "We are confident that if a political will exists, all the legislative amendments necessary for full implementation of the Package of Measures may be adopted."

Speaking about the Ukrainian government regaining full control over the state border, the Russian envoy said that in accordance with the Package of Measures "it can be possible only after an overwhelming political settlement is reached."

"It will be counterproductive to run ahead in that process," he said.

Minsk accords

Talks of the Normandy Four (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine) leaders on the Ukrainian issue along with regular talks of the Contact Group on resolving the Ukraine conflict took place in the Belarusian capital Minsk on February 12.

The talks ended by adoption of a 13-point package of measures, which contained in particular a ceasefire starting from February 15, withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line disengaging the Kiev troops and militias of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as measures on long-term political settlement in Donbas.