Brussels, 03/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Concerned at the intensification of shooting and bombing in Eastern Ukraine, “in spite of the ceasefire that is in place”, the European Union recalled, on Thursday 2 October, “the imperative of strict observation of the ceasefire protocol of 5 September and implementing memorandum of 19 September”.
“Observation of the ceasefire is a necessary step for the much needed restoration of law and order in the East of Ukraine, both in view of preventing human rights violations and for the investigation of those that have occurred so far”, stated the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in a press release. Ashton's spokesperson reiterated that a lasting ceasefire remains key to the success of the current efforts to reach a sustainable political solution, based on respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and underlined that the EU stands ready to support any efforts to this effect.
According to the speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Alexander Turchinov, the “ceasefire has been violated over 1,000 times”. On 1 October, ten people were killed in the shelling at Donetsk which hit a school and a taxi service - deaths described by the EU as “tragic”. On 2 October, it was an employee from the Committee of the International Red Cross who was killed during bombing in the centre of Donetsk. Both sides deny responsibility for this death. “Many Ukrainian servicemen have equally died in fighting over the past weeks, notably as a result of the continued shelling of Donetsk airport”, the EU stated. At least 70 military and civilians are reported to have been killed since the start of the ceasefire on 5 September. The fighting around Donetsk airport between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists continued on Friday 3 October. (CG)