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Delay in Minsk-2 implementation a sign of Kiev’s disinclination to resolve crisis - Peskov

"Kiev is the one to resolve this conflict through a dialogue and a direct contact with (Ukrainian) citizens," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said
Dmitry Peskov
Dmitry Peskov

MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Kiev’s delay in implementation of the Minsk accords shows that Ukraine’s government is not motivated to resolve the crisis in the country’s southeast, the Kremlin believes.

"In this case, the ball is on Kiev’s side and any delays related to implementation of the Minsk peace deal may again testify to the lack of motivation in overwhelming settlement," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Sergey Brilyov, the host of the Vesti v Subboty (News on Saturday) television programme.

The Ukraine crisis "cannot be settled by Paris, Berlin or Moscow," he said.

"Kiev is the one to resolve this conflict through a dialogue and a direct contact with (Ukrainian) citizens," Peskov said with confidence. "And absolutely all the steps - from A to Z - are written in the Minsk accords if the settlement is expected to be reached till the New Year. There is no problem in fulfilling them."

Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada parliament had approved lots of documents mentioned in the Minsk-2 accords, the Kremlin spokesman said adding "a presidential signature is needed to enable them to come into force."

"Response expected from Donetsk, Lugansk after Normandy Four summit" 

After the Normandy Four summit of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine held in Paris, a response from Lugansk and Donetsk should follow, the Kremlin says.

"Certainly, the next step is expected to be done by those republics - the DPR and LPR," Peskov said.

"And now the work will focus on contacts with representatives of those republics so as to receive feedback from Donbass leaders over the options and proposals worked out at yesterday’s summit," he said.

Along with this, the presidential press secretary explained why Putin had not made a statement after the end of the talks in Paris.

"The Normandy Four agreed that (French) President (Francois) Hollande and (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel would present their views on results of the rather lengthy talks," he said.

"As one of the chief mediators in the crisis, Putin actually has nothing to say as he had exerted all efforts to ensure implementation of concrete points of the Minsk agreements in order to rule out any interpretations and misunderstanding - intentional or not," Peskov said.

"Normandy Four does not exclude extension of Minsk-2"

Leaders of the Normandy Four comprising Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine have not ruled out that the Minsk agreements will be extended beyond the year 2015 but Kiev should undertake concrete steps for their implementation, Kremlin spokesman said in an interview.

"If make sure that Kiev moves ahead along a path of real implementation of the accords - not interpretations - then there is hope that ice may be broken and shifts may be made towards amnesty and political reforms and the regions’ special status along with the holding of local elections," Peskov said. "In this case, the conversation in Paris yesterday did not rule out that we have no time to fulfil it till the New Year."

"Certainly, the Minsk peace deal should be extended beyond the New Year but not indefinitely," the Kremlin spokesman said. "Also, a more clearly-defined deadline should be determined."

Besides, Peskov said that in the wake of incomplete implementation of the Minsk-2 peace deal till the yearend, Putin promised to exert his influence on DPR and LPR representatives so that their leaders would show flexibility and give consent to extend the deadlines.

At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman said there was no alternative to the Minsk accords at the moment.

On Friday, October 2, leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine held talks in Paris in the so-called Normandy format. According to Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the talks were "intense and business-like."

He said the leaders discussed implementation of the Minsk Agreements, including withdrawal of armaments, elections, amnesty, gas issues and other crises, including air services. The Kremlin spokesman confirmed the sides held constructive talks and confirmed that the Minsk deals have no alternative.