Brussels, 01/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Wednesday 30 September, the European Commission hailed the agreement obtained the previous day within the trilateral contact group on security - a group bringing together Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - on the withdrawal of certain weapons in the east of Ukraine.
According to the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, this is “a positive step forward”. “The withdrawal would strengthen the ceasefire, which has been largely holding since 1 September 2015, and contribute to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements”, the spokesperson added.
However, the spokesperson called at the same time for further efforts to be made in implementing these agreements. In the spokesperson's view, it is “essential” that the OSCE special monitoring missions be “granted full, safe and unrestricted access to all areas and weapon storage points so as to carry out its mandate”. Stating that the heads of state or government of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in Paris on Friday 2 October to discuss the implementation of the Minsk agreements, Mohgerini's spokesperson affirmed that it was “now crucial to advance on the implementation of other provisions of the Minsk agreements, notably on local elections”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)