MINSK, August 3. /TASS/. To achieve progress at the Minsk talks it is necessary to improve the activities of the political subgroup, Russia’s envoy at the talks Boris Gryzlov said following Contact Group meeting on Wednesday.
"I believe that to achieve results we need to improve the operating procedures of the political subgroup," he said. "It would be appropriate to bring its work under certain regulations, keep records and record the decisions that are taken in order not to discuss the issues that have been agreed anew," he said.
According to Gryzlov, "this will allow to move forward more quickly addressing such issues as enshrining the special status of Donbass that can be the first step towards the overall political settlement."
He noted that "the spirit of the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements is based primarily on the fact that the framework documents should be passed by means of a compromise."
"Attempts to force through the Verkhovna Rada the decisions that are unacceptable to the other party to the conflict are inadmissible." "Such an approach only multiplies mistrust undermining hopes for lasting peace. That is why the law on the special status must be agreed in the Contact Group."
Gryzlov reiterated that "political problems require political solutions rather than military ones." "Let me say once again: my approach is that security issues should be addressed in parallel with political issues," he said.
According to the Russian envoy, the Minsk agreeements have yielded some positive results. "Among the main ones are the termination of mass loss of life along the line of contact and gradually improving economic life in southeastern Donbass," he said. "However, unfortunately, these positive trends are not supported by progress in the political settlement." Gryzlov also urged the warring parties "to strive to achieve better results in the negotiation process."