MINSK, August 3. /TASS/. Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Martin Sajdik promised on Wednesday to provide assistance in delivering a petition of Donbass residents to the UN Security Council.
The OSCE special envoy made this statement after a meeting of the Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in east Ukraine.
As the OSCE envoy said, Denis Pushilin, who represents the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic at the Minsk talks, turned to him with a request to provide assistance in delivering a petition of the Donbass residents to the UN Security Council and the European security agency OSCE.
Sajdik said he had promised to consider this issue.
Parties to Donbass conflict ask for OSCE mediation in property disputes
According to Sajdik, the parties to the conflict in the Donbass region have decided to ask for mediation of the OSCE in resolving property disputes.
"Members of the Contact Group discussed an array of issues related to misappropriation of Ukrainian public and private property in Donbass and agreed to contact the OSCE as a possible mediator in solving this complex problem," he said.
According to Sajdik, the economic subgroup also discussed the operation of railways in the Donbass region. He noted that "there are positive shifts" in this issue, "so far slow, particularly in payment of wages to railway employees."
The envoy voiced concern over railway track damage on the stretch between Nikitovka and Mayorsk, adding that full ceasefire is required for resuming repair work in the area. As for water delivery, Sajdik noted that the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice set water tariffs. "We hope that the parties will soon be able to sign a relevant agreement," he said.
The parties also discussed the environmental risks caused by coal mine floods in the region.
OSCE insists on achieving sustainable truce in Donbass
The OSCE insists on the speedy achievement of a durable ceasefire and signing an agreement on disengagement of the parties to the conflict.
"The security subgroup will continue discussing disengagement of forces and creating a security zone in the future," he said. Sajdik noted that head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan pointed to the need of urgently solving the following problems: achieving a full and sustainable ceasefire, signing a framework agreement and beginning the process of disengagement of the warring parties in two areas of the conflict zone - Petrovskoye and Zolotoye, including the beginning of the demining process, and full compliance with the agreements on weaponry withdrawal.
According to Sajdik, Apakan paid particular attention "to the issue of the parties’ accountability and responsibility for the security of OSCE SMM personnel and the crash of OSCE unmanned aerial vehicles on both sides of the line of contact. "Such actions and impunity for them should not take place," the envoy said.
The security subgroup focused on the issue of disengagement of the warring parties along the line of contact, and this work will continue. "First and foremost, everything should begin in Petrovskoye and Zolotoye. Other areas, including Stanitsa Luganskaya, are considered, but one cannot say yet that this area will be part of the process," Sajdik said.