Contact Group Agrees to Guaranty Security of Donetsk Filtration Station

Martin Sajdik, a special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine stated that the Trilateral Contact Group’s (TCG) agreed on the need to halt attacks on the Donetsk water filtration station (DFS).

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The parties to the Trilateral Contact Group’s (TCG) meeting in Minsk on Wednesday agreed on the need to halt attacks on the Donetsk water filtration station (DFS) and enable safe and secure access for the station's staff, repair teams and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), a special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine said Thursday.

"Today particular attention was paid to the operation and safety of Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS). Based on the proposal of [Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine] Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the parties agreed on the following: no shelling or other attack on the DFS; demining of the DFS area and its access roads; security guarantees (facilitated by the Joint Control for Control and Co-ordination) in order to enable safe, secure and unfettered access for the DFS staff, repair teams and the SMM," Martin Sajdik said in a statement.

According to the OSCE envoy, the parties also appealed to the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to facilitate the implementation of the disengagement of forces and hardware in the planned area of Stanytsia Luhanska on March 7.

"In addition, the sides reiterated their commitment to the full withdrawal of heavy weapons," Sajdik added.

The participants of the Contact Group’s meeting and its working groups also discussed the humanitarian issues, noting a substantial discussion between Ukrainian authorities and representatives from Donetsk and Luhansk on the lists of detainees in relation to the conflict.

"The lists will now be verified by the sides. A mechanism to ensure that such decisions are respected will be developed with the support of a third party. Furthermore, a neutral organization will be involved to return personal documents to released detainees in the future," Sajdik noted.

The OSCE special representatives confirmed on Wednesday that the Trilateral Contact Group group's next meeting will take place on March 15.