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Germany sees no reason to change Normandy format — Foreign Ministry

The German Foreign Ministry spokesman says there is hope that it is possible to make progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements in the Normandy format

© AP Photo/Michael Sohn

BERLIN, October 28. /TASS/. Berlin sees no prerequisites and need to change the Normandy format (Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France) within which consultations on resolving the conflict in Ukraine are held, German Foreign Ministry spokesman, Martin Schaefer, said on Friday.

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"From the point of view of the government, as long as we have not lost the hope that it is possible to make progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements in the Normandy format, we see no reasons whatsoever to change anything in the formats here and now," he said.

"For us, the content is more important than the format," Schaefer noted. He added that the German foreign minister stated on numerous occasions that, if someone may come up with potentially more successful formats for defusing the Ukrainian crisis and can substantiate this, Berlin "will welcome this heartily."

The spokesman added that "EU foreign policy chief Ms. Mogherini is actively involved in the process due to the participation of France and Germany in the Normandy format. "The same applies to US diplomats," he added.

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Putin is sure Russia and Ukraine will find way to end crisis

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