Brussels, 24/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 23 July, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and the presidents of France - François Hollande, Ukraine - Petro Poroshenko, and Russia - Vladimir Putin called for the signature “as soon as possible” of the accords on the withdrawal of tanks and light artillery to 15 km on either side of the contact line in Ukraine - as part of the Minsk working group responsible for security issues and their implementation. They “want an effective observation arrangement by the OSCE special monitoring mission to be set up along the contact line”, says a press release from the Elysée that was issued at the end of the leaders' teleconference.
The leaders also noted the withdrawal of the separatist forces from Shyrokyne and called for the special monitoring mission and Commission experts on controlling and coordinating the ceasefire “to find practical solutions by 3 August” for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops and the establishment of the OSCE mission.
Once again, Merkel and the three presidents reiterated the importance of respecting the commitments taken in Minsk in February on the withdrawal of heavy weapons, full implementation of the ceasefire and access for the OSCE mission. They also discussed the exchange of prisoners.
The leaders welcomed the parties' intention of discussing local elections and the decentralisation system on 28 July. According to the French Presidency, the importance of retaining a single date for organising local elections throughout Ukraine, including in certain parts of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, was underlined.
Merkel, Hollande, Poroshenko and Putin also agreed on the need to find an agreement quickly on the next gas package between Ukraine and Russia.
In addition, they discussed the humanitarian situation. According to the Kremlin, the leaders exchanged their points of view on “possible measures to resolve a certain number of serious social, economic and humanitarian issues in the region of Donbass”. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)