The heads of the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics ( LPR, DPR) are awaiting the reaction of the ‘Normandy Quartet' to the failure of Ukraine to implement the Minsk agreements, ITAR-TASS reports, citing the head of the LPR, Igor Plotnitsky
"To date, along with Alexander Zakharchenko, we addressed the ‘Normandy Quartet’ so that they have an opportunity to express their opinions. They see and know that Ukraine is not working on the implementation of the Minsk agreements. We are waiting for an answer, then you can clearly tell whether the Minsk Agreement is being implemented or not."
Members of the contact group for resolving the situation in Donbass, on February 12 this year signed in Minsk an Agreement with the heads of the participating countries of the ‘Normandy Quartet’ (Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine) on a set of measures to implement the Minsk agreements.
The document provides for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line, the beginning of a dialogue on the restoration of social and economic relations between Kiev and Donbass, as well as the reform of the Constitution of Ukraine with the purpose of the decentralization and consolidation of "the special status of certain districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions."
Alexey Chesnakov, the head of the Center for Political Conjuncture considers the Minsk Agreement "comprehensive solution settlement" and "a victory of the DPR and LPR": "the evidence of their victory is Kiev’s refusal to carry out all 13 items of those measures in the future, avoiding them in a variety of ways. From the point of view of their implementation, I do not definitely think so. 2 out of 13 items have been fulfilled. There are the tripartite activities of the contact group, although it was clearly fixed in the complex of measures: to intensify the tripartite activities of the contact group. "
"EU foreign policy in the face of Press Secretary Mrs. Mogherini made a statement that it is necessary to intensify the process more, though it is unclear how to do this. She didn’t go into detail. But even European colleagues propose acting according to these items. As for the unfulfilled items and those that could have been implemented before the end of the year, the first point is the ceasefire, the second point is the withdrawal of all heavy weapons and the possible extension of this point to weapons of less than 100 mm. The fifth item is providing pardons and amnesties by enactment of the law. Kiev refuses to do this. The sixth point is ensuring the release of all hostages. The seventh item is humanitarian aid. The eighth item is determination of the modalities of full recovery of socio-economic relations.The same it is possible to fulfill. "- believes Chesnakov.
"I believe that it is also possible to fulfill step number ten and twelve. But with regard to paragraphs 3 and 4, paragraph 9 and paragraph 11, which deals with the modalities of the local elections, the restoration of control over the boundary line on the results of the local elections and constitutional reform. If they impose all the laws of Ukraine and constitutional reform, Ukraine won’t be able to fulfill these items until the end of the year. Ukraine declares the need to hold elections to the local self-government bodies according to Ukrainian legislation. It is clear that they are responsible for this., "- says the expert.
