The consideration of political issues has been actually blocked by Ukraine, and the refusal of the OSCE Coordinator to circulate the written statements of the republics’ positions does not help to break the impasse, DPR plenipotentiary and Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova commented on the results of the negotiations.
“Today’s negotiation session [on September 16] of the political subgroup did not last long as we never heard any clear position from the Ukrainian party, and OSCE Coordinator Heidi Grau refused to send the written statements of the republics’ positions to the participants without explaining the reasons for her decision. It is obvious that all these facts significantly jeopardise the negotiation process. It is especially regrettable that Coordinator Heidi Grau made such a decision at a moment of crisis after Ukraine had blatantly disrupted the joint inspection agreements reached at the extraordinary meeting of September 9.
In addition, it takes time to amend the resolution of the Verkhovna Rada on local elections. As long as the resolution is in effect, the Ukrainian representatives to the Contact Group, in fact, have no authority to discuss and agree anything, since the Ukrainian Parliament, by its decisions, abolishes the Minsk agreements, thereby actually stating its non-recognition of the obligations under these documents.
We note with great concern a dangerous tendency in the process of political settlement. Recent developments eloquently indicate that the political settlement process is facing stalemate through the Ukrainian party’s fault,” Natalia Nikonorova said.
The DPR plenipotentiary stressed that it is impossible to agree on either political, humanitarian or economic issues without amending the decree on local elections. And it is precisely the written confirmation of the parties’ positions that should serve as a key factor in successful negotiations.
