Donetsk, Jun 26 – DAN. The DPR Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova has articulated a measured response to the disengagement that has kicked off in the Stanitsa Luganskaya zone on Wednesday.
“The disengagement must be completed to elicit some particular reaction. The process has but started, in accordance with the Framework decision it can take up to three days,” she said in a commentary made available to DAN.
She added that the disengagement was supposed to take place almost three years ago, but Kiev sabotaged it on 80-plus occasions.
“We hope that this time Ukraine fulfills obligations instead of replicating the deplorable experience of previous authorities.”
LPR and DPR representatives initialed a Framework Agreement on pullback of forces in Donbass on September 21-23, 2016, which was also signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE. T
The document provides for three disengagement areas around Zolotoye, Stanitsa Luganskaya (LPR territory) and Petrovskoe (DPR territory). Security zones of at least zone two km wide and two km long are to be established in each sector. Disengagement was completed in Petrovskoye and Zolotoye in 2016.
Dozens of attempts to disengage in Stanitsa Lugansksya were disrupted by the Ukrainian side.
The Framework Agreement is key to further bilateral withdrawal of forces from the contact line which could significantly change the nature of peaceful settlement in the region. *ot