Representatives of Kiev to the Contact Group gave a lot of comments last week, each of them mentioned the words “compromise” and “red lines”. But the interpretation they give them has nothing to do with the documents signed in Minsk, DPR Minister of Foreign Affairs Natalya Nikonova stated.
She drew attention to the fact that all the members of the Ukrainian delegation ought to carefully read the documents based on which they are going to work.
“The Complex of Measures has already outlined all the necessary compromise steps. Again and again Kravchuk proposes looking for new compromises implying revision of the agreements reached previously. Instead of enshrining the special status of Donbass, they offered a kind of “special governance t regime” and recall the old decrees on the “free economic zone to attract investment”.
In this regard, Leonid Kravchuk’s words raise red flags, that he allegedly does not understand how Steinmeier’s formula could be implemented into the Ukrainian law system. As the head of the delegation, he cannot but know that the Contact Group has already agreed on how to adopt it, its wording and what part of the law on the special status of Donbass implement it in. We have repeatedly stated that this formula itself is a compromise for peaceful coexistence between Ukraine and Donbass, since due to Ukraine’s irresponsibility all the deadlines for the permanent entry-into-force of the law have been missed. We hope that Mr. Kravchuk will not start his work with an attempt to undo so hard-won agreements reached together with his predecessor in the Contact Group,” Natalya Nikonorova said.
She stressed that the only way to return peaceful coexistence between Ukraine and Donbass is to fulfill the Complex of Measures.
“In this regard, Kravchuk’s refusal to discuss amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine causes anxiety, as it is allegedly impossible to introduce “temporary issues” into the main law. We can only suggest that he reread the document approved by the UN Security Council resolution and Steinmeier’s formula in order to understand what we are talking about. Namely our own red line — the permanence of the special status of Donbass, without which all other agreements cannot be consistent. Work in this direction would most vividly demonstrate Kiev’s readiness for compromising,” Natalya Nikonorova concluded.
