Despite the high alert mode, in 2020 it was possible for the DPR MFA to achieve a number of significant results within the framework of the Republican foreign policy vector implementation, DPR Minister of Foreign Affairs Natalia Nikonorova said, reporting on the results of the Ministry’s activities in the past year.
«The most important international event for the Republic in 2020 was the participation at the UN Security Council meeting according to the Arria formula on the topic “Implementation of the 2015 Minsk Package of Measures to settle the situation in Ukraine: a year after the Paris Normandy Format summit”. For the first time, we had the opportunity to speak at the key diplomatic platform of the world, thanks to which we were able to break Kiev’s absolute monopoly on coverage of events and tell a wide audience around the world about the real situation in Donbass and in the Minsk negotiation process,» the Minister said.
As for the development of relations between the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Russian Federation, the Ministry made every possible effort to expand and accelerate integration processes with Russia. With the assistance of the Ministry, a number of events were held in 2020 with the participation of officials of the Russian Federation, within the framework of which a new impetus was given to strengthening social and cultural ties between the residents of Donbass and Russia.
A stable progress can be noted in relations between the Donetsk People’s Republic and the main foreign policy partners: the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Republic of South Ossetia, and the Republic of Abkhazia.
Also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took part in organizing the visit of the Donetsk People’s Republic delegation to the Republic of South Ossetia to celebrate the 30th anniversary of independence of South Ossetia in September 2020. Within the framework of this visit, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Donetsk People’s Republic met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia D. Medoev. The parties discussed the most topical issues of bilateral relations between the Republics.
In addition, with the assistance of the Ministry, in February 2020, a delegation of the Donetsk People’s Republic paid a business visit to the Syrian Arab Republic, during which a meeting was held with a member of the Central Leadership of the Arab Socialist Party «Ba’ath» Dr. Mahdi Dahlallah.
Also, the Ministry continued to work on expanding its representation in foreign countries.
«In 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to play a central role in representing the interests of the Donetsk People’s Republic in the Minsk negotiation process to settle the conflict. So, in 2020, 23 meetings of the Contact Group and its working groups were held. Since March 2020, in connection with restrictive measures due to the coronavirus pandemic, meetings have been held in the format of a video conference.
In July 2020 we were able to sign measures to strengthen the ceasefire,» Natalia Nikonorova noted.
Within the framework of the political group, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics jointly prepared and sent 8 draft documents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also actively involved in the development of regulatory legal acts regulating foreign policy and international relations of the Republic.
The DPR Ministry of Foreign Affairs also coordinates the activities of the Interdepartmental Committee for the Accreditation of Humanitarian Missions. Currently, the activities of 8 humanitarian organizations (missions) are accredited in the Republic, in cooperation with which a number of humanitarian projects have been implemented.
«For the fifth year already, the Special Committee for the recording and collecting the evidence of war crimes of the Ukrainian authorities in Donbass has been operating. Over the entire period of the Committee’s work, 19,976 cases in such areas as civilians (dead) — 795 records, civilians (wounded) – 1,587 records, children (dead) — 83 records, children (wounded) — 186 records, prisoners of war and illegally detained persons (civil, military and political prisoners) — 62 records. Work is also underway on processing into a single register of acts of inspection of social facilities and housing stock of cities and regions of the Republic damaged as a result of hostilities – 17,263 records have been made to date,» Natalia Nikonorova said.
In 2020, representatives of the DPR Ministry of Foreign Affairs answered 303 requests received from individuals and legal entities. In addition, 1995 hotline consultations, 69 personal appointments and 987 email consultations were provided. Also, employees of the Ministry provided 600 responses to requests from state authorities, institutions and organizations.
