OSCE Seeks to Establish More Separation Lines in Eastern Ukraine

The OSCE will look at increasing the number of separation lines in eastern Ukraine when the reached disengagement agreement is implemented, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan told Sputnik on the sidelines of the UN General Assmbly.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group Darya Olifer announced that the sides to the conflict in eastern Ukraine signed a framework agreement on the withdrawal of forces at three locations along the line of contact.

When asked if the OSCE has plans to add more lines of disengagement, Apakan said on Friday, "We will look at it, we are working on them. Let's implement and look for the others."

Apakan noted that the agreement is already in force but the implementation has not started yet. He added that the implementation would be carried out in stages.

The spokeswoman for the Ukrainian envoy explained that the document envisages de-escalation near the line of contact in Zolotoye, Petrovskoye and Luganskaya, and establishes conditions where small arms cannot be used.

Simultaneously, the deal provides for the implementation of the Trilateral Contact Group's previous agreements on withdrawal of artillery with a caliber of over 100mm from the contact line.

In April 2014, Kiev authorities launched a military operation against pro-independence militia in the eastern Ukrainian Donbass region. In February 2015, the two sides reached a ceasefire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine — the so-called Normandy Format — in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.