Ukraine and Separatists Resume Peace Talks
by VOA News December 24, 2014
Representatives of Ukraine and separatist rebels who support Russia resumed fresh peace talks Wednesday, with the Russian government and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also taking part.
The goal is a settlement of the crisis dividing the government in Kyiv and the rebels, most of whom are in eastern Ukraine. Negotiators are focusing first on how to solidify a cease-fire that has reduced fighting since September, by gaining agreement on the pullback of troops and heavy weapons, prisoner exchanges, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine.
After Wednesday's discussions, the participants are expected to convene again on Friday. The VOA correspondent monitoring the closed-door talks says no major developments are expected before then.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday in Kyiv, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk called on pro-Russian separatists to execute the Minsk protocols.
'It is important to fulfill the Minsk agreements,' Yatsenyuk said.
Although the meeting of the contact group is underway in the Belarusian capital, the prime minister said, merely holding another contact group meeting is not important by itself. 'What is important are decisions,' he added. '. They should let in our humanitarian aid [to rebel-held eastern regions], implement the Minsk protocols ... and step-by-step we will stabilize the situation in the country.'
Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Moscow of supplying the separatists with heavy weapons and Russian army units. The Kremlin denies the allegations and blames Ukrainian forces for the situation.
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