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Members of Contact Group discuss Donbass prisoner exchange

Earlier in the day, the DPR’s foreign ministry informed that the session of the Contact Group had concluded in Minsk.

MINSK, June 19. /TASS/. Members of the humanitarian subgroup of the Contact Group for the settlement in eastern Ukraine have discussed the possibility of carrying out a prisoner exchange as soon as possible, agreeing to exchange the necessary data, representative of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Daria Morozova informed on Wednesday, noting the constructive nature of the talks.

"Today, on June 19, another session of the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbass regulation has taken place in Minsk. During the talks, the sides have discussed the issues of organizing the exchange of detained persons and the search for missing persons," she informed.

According to her, the Ukrainian side has presented an official stance regarding the exchange of prisoners. "We have discussed the possibility of its soonest organization, as well as a set of corresponding issues, namely the development of a handover mechanism for foreign citizens and the procedural clearance of the detained persons," Morozova continued.

The DPR has also raised the issue of confirming the location of requested persons on the territory of Ukraine and exchanging information on their procedural status. "On the outcomes of the talks, agreements have been reached on the mutual exchange of specified data and the creation of lists of names of detained persons," the DPR envoy noted.

"The session has taken place in a constructive manner, which gives us hope for further progress in the development of effective decisions on the issues on the agenda, which are of special significance to the improvement of the humanitarian situation on both sides of the line of contact," Morozova stressed.

Earlier on Wednesday, the DPR’s foreign ministry informed that the session of the Contact Group had concluded in Minsk. "The session of the Contact Group has concluded. The next meeting in Minsk will take place on July 2, 2019," the ministry informed on its Telegram channel.

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