Brussels, 25/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Alexander Hug, tells EUROPE about the worsening situation in Ukraine over the last few weeks. There are currently 380 SMM monitors in Eastern Ukraine. (Interview conducted by Camille-Cerise Gessant).
Agence Europe: Can you explain what the situation is like in Eastern Ukraine right now?
Alexander Hug: Since the end of April-beginning of May, we have seen a deterioration of the situation. And this has manifested itself in many different ways. We have seen there is an increase in the use of heavy weapons comparatively with the previous period, and this including multiple launch rocket systems. We have also seen the reappearance of heavy weapons from the holding side where they were stored previously, back to the front line. At the same time, as a possible consequence of this usage of heavy weapons, we have seen an increase of civilian casualties and fatalities, and fatalities and injured fighting sides as well. We have also seen an increase of fortifications from both sides, including by minefields along the contact line. As a consequence of this, the civilians have difficulties passing from government controlled to non-governmental controlled territory and the other way. Not only can civilians not cross, it's also that aid does not get in and services cannot be provided across the contact line, facility services such as water and gas are regularly interrupted and leave town or part of town off the water supplies for many days. We also see an increased amount of attacks against ourselves. And finally, while for a long period there were only two hotspots along the contact line - the airport and its environment and the village of Shyrokyne in the south - now they are multiplied all along the contact line in places which have for long been very quiet.
You said it's dangerous for the monitors. Can you explain this a little more?
The risk with the increased fighting is to be caught up between cross fire (…). There are unexploded devices, minefields which are more frequent and numerous and cause a threat for our civilian members. And in some places, especially the border area, rebel forces don't let us access the area, threatening us at gunpoint, or use the excuse that we don't have appropriate permission to go to the area (Ed: the SMM does not need permission). It's imposed on us or self-imposed for security reasons. In the last 15 months, nobody was injured or died.
How many violations of the ceasefire have you seen since February?
We don't count by numbers but there are many. Neither side (Ed: the pro-Russian separatists and the government forces) adheres to the ceasefire, or adheres to the withdrawal of the heavy weapons. Neither side has done very much to do anything about the other 12 measures of the Minsk agreement of 12 February.
What can we do to have the Minsk agreement really implemented?
There are a couple of things that need to be done or achieved. The first thing, the mission number one in the Minsk package, is the ceasefire. It should be the dominant concern for everyone involved. But at the same time, it is only possible if the sides re establish trust between each other. Building trust between the two is very important. The platform and discussion of Minsk is an attempt to bring the sides together around the table and talk, rather than shoot each other. And the fact they are actually talking in Minsk at the moment, everyone should welcome that. There is no other platform where the parties can talk at the moment.
The second step then, after the ceasefire, is other tangible results (…) including the full withdrawal of weapons, to make sure they are not just withdrawn - but remain withdrawn.
The OSCE is also working on localised ceasefire. Can you explain this?
We have successfully facilitated localised ceasefire, where we bring different commanders together and agree for localised ceasefire - which allows the repair of water systems, demining, access for humanitarian aid and many other examples. This shows that the parties cannot do this by themselves, and need someone in between - and the OSCE plays this role. If you see the mandate, we have this dialogue facilitation mandate.
The Ukrainian government is asking for the deployment of an EU CSDP mission at its Eastern boarders. What do you think about this?
Our mission cooperates with the EU at many levels. We do this with the existing EU mission in Ukraine itself. We do it also in Brussels and Vienna. The cooperation is very strong and the EU financial support is very strong. It has contributed €18 million to this mission and two thirds of our monitors come from the EU member states. We also benefit from other contributions, such as armoured vehicles and, most recently, access to satellite images provided by EU services based in Madrid, and also satellite images from France and Germany.
Now, any additional initiative in Ukraine is welcomed provided it supports Ukraine and its territorial integrity and sovereignty. How this should be put together has to be evaluated in this light.