Creation Of Advisory Council On Donbas Should Be Endorsed By Germany, France, OSCE - Kiev

Creation of Advisory Council on Donbas Should Be Endorsed By Germany, France, OSCE - Kiev

Setting up of the advisory council as part of a political subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas' peaceful settlement should be first endorsed by Germany, France and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and after the creation of the council can be coordinated at the level of the Normandy Four representatives

KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2020) Setting up of the advisory council as part of a political subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas' peaceful settlement should be first endorsed by Germany, France and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and after the creation of the council can be coordinated at the level of the Normandy Four representatives, Oleksiy Reznikov, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine and the minister for the reintegration of the allegedly occupied territories in Donbas and the Crimean peninsula, said on Monday.

Earlier in the month, OSCE Special Representative Heidi Grau announced that the Contact Group had agreed to establish the advisory council that was expected to be a part of the political subgroup. The board will be tasked with developing proposals on the political settlement in Donbas. A draft document on the body's powers and the working procedure was agreed during talks with the participation of Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office, and deputy head of the Russian presidential administration Dmitry Kozak.

"It is clearly stated that a final decision is possible only after endorsement by Germany and France. They should not only endorse this decision but also delegate their representatives as participants-observers ... I think that at least political advisers will have to agree to implement this. If the leaders say 'ok,' each country's foreign ministry could authorize advisers to agree on this decision. I do not know how it will be processed yet. Plus, we remember that there must be a reaction on the part of the OSCE ... Once it confirms, the Contact Group will be able to create the advisory council within the political subgroup," Reznikov told RBC Ukraine in an interview.

According to Reznikov, creating the advisory council is needed for launching consultations with representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. At the same time, he stated that the council would not be able to make any binding decisions.