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Merkel calls to revive Minsk accords

The conflict in eastern Ukraine cannot be resolved through the use of force, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

© AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

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Kremlin says Normandy Quartet will speed up implementation of Minsk Accords

BERLIN, May 16. /TASS/. The conflict in eastern Ukraine cannot be resolved through the use of force, it is necessary to use the existing negotiation channels, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said speaking in parliament on Wednesday.

"This cannot be resolved through the use of force," she noted referring to the situation in Donbass.

"We are doing this as part of the Normandy Four, we are trying to revive Minsk, but the fact that the ceasefire along the line of contact is violated every night, that there are restrictions for the work of OSCE observers whom I would like to thank is a troubling factor."

The Normandy Four, comprising Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, was created when the leaders of the four states met to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 2014. They also discussed efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. A number of telephone conversations and top-level meetings, as well as the foreign ministers' meetings have taken place since then.

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