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Ukraine refuses to discuss ‘Steinmeier formula’ at Contact Group talks — DPR

The DPR acting foreign minister said that Wednesday’s Contact Group meeting yielded no positive result

DONETSK, November 23. /TASS/. Ukraine refused to discuss the so-called "Steinmeier formula" at a regular round of talks held on Wednesday by the Contact Group entrusted to find a peace solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, acting foreign minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Natalia Nikonorova said after the talks.

"The November 23 talks should have been based on the ‘Steinmeier formula’ as the only possible tool of compromise so that the law on special status of Donbass can come into force, as it, in its turn, lays the groundwork for implementation of all political provisions of the (Minsk-2) ‘package of measures’," Nikonorova said.

"Taking into consideration that the Contact Group approved the political group’s agenda on November 9, in fact, Ukraine disrupted discussions on the essence of the issues," she added. "It shows lack of coordination between Ukraine’s representatives in the Contact Group and the political subgroup."

The DPR acting foreign minister said that Wednesday’s meeting yielded no positive result. "Ukraine refuses to discuss the given formula until a road map is agreed in the Normandy Four format," she said.

The position runs counter to the "package of measures" since it rejects the necessity to agree political issues with DPR and LPR envoys who do not attend the Normandy Four talks. Along with this, Nikonorova said that Ukrainian negotiators insisted on theoretical speculations about amnesty and on inviting an expert. At the same time, they have failed to submit any written document expressing their official position.

"We have again outlined clearly our readiness to work ‘with a pencil’ (in the hand) on practical aspects of the ‘Steinmeier formula’ implementation and we are waiting for a similar approach from Ukraine," she concluded.