MINSK, May 6. /TASS/. Representatives of the Contact Group on the Ukraine crisis seeking to establish thematic working subgroups had "constructive" talks in Minsk, a senior official from the OSCE security watchdog said on Wednesday.
Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group that includes senior representatives from Ukraine and Russia, said: "We believe our work was constructive. We have laid the foundation for resolving issues to start the peace process."
Tagliavini said that four subgroups had been launched, focusing on economic issues and restoration of facilities, issues of refugees, internally displaced persons and humanitarian assistance, as well as political issues and security issues.
"We have discussed items on the agenda, and OSCE representatives who coordinated the work reported the results of the first meeting [to Contact Group members]," she said.
Russia’s representative in the Group Azamat Kulmukhametov said after talks that the results of today’s meeting give grounds to continue peace settlement of the situation in Donbas: It’s an important event, and the main thing is that it occurred on the basis of direct dialogue. What was said today gives all grounds to continue peace settlement," Kulmukhametov said.
DPR representative at the Minsk talks Denis Pushilin said the key result of today’s Minsk meeting was the start of dialogue between Kiev on the one hand and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s republics (DPR and LPR) on the other hand.
"The main thing is that dialogue started between Ukraine and the DPR and LPR. We hope it will be resumed and all decisions will be made on a compromise basis," Pushilin said.
He expressed the hope that "a new stage is starting today, and it will be possible to fill the activity of subgroups with constructive content."
"A full-fledged peace is getting nearer," Pushilin said.
Contact Group’s working subgroup for security to meet May 19
The working subgroups of the Contact Group for a settlement in Ukraine are prepared to meet in session every week and the subgroup for security is scheduled to gather on May 19, Ukrainian presidential representative at the talks, former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma said after the Contact Group’s meeting.
"Working groups wish to meet almost every week. Each one has many questions. They are to be discussed and acted on," he said. The subgroup on security will meet on May 19. Yevgeny Marchuk will represent Ukraine."
Subgroup for Ukraine crisis political issues to meet May 19
According to OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) envoy at the talks Heidi Tagliavini, the subgroup on political issues of the Contact Group on the Donbas crisis settlement is scheduled to hold its first meeting on May 16.
"The first meeting of the group on political issues will take place on May 16," she said.