Donetsk, Jun 19 - DAN. Kiev's initiative to wind up the so-called 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' (ATO) in Donbass and to adopt Donbass reintegration law is unlikely to bring peace to the region, said DPR envoy to the Minsk negotiations Denis Pushilin.
"Ukraine authorities' initiative to end the ATO and to move on to 'reintegrating' Donbass will hardly restore peace in the region. Ukraine has signed agreements to settle the conflict. But it has failed to fulfill any of the articles in three years. It has not even implemented the first article – to cease fire."
Pushilin added that Ukraine's new measures are not trustworthy.
"If Ukraine wants to cancel the ATO and to continue political and diplomatic efforts, as (Ukrainian president Petr) Poroshenko said, it should and must do it within the framework of the Minsk Agreements. Donbass won't accept any other options."
Earlier Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Ukraine prepared a draft law aimed at 'Donbass reintegration'. The newspaper's sources in Ukrainian parliament said that the first reading of the draft might take place this week.
Later Ukrainian president's representative Irina Lutsenko explained that the draft law encompasses the change of military actions legal status, recognizing the Donbass legal status, loosening requirements on crossing the contact line and receiving state services for Donbass residents.
The document has not been presented to public yet, but it is to be submitted to the Contact Group review on June 21.
Some Ukrainian experts assessed the document as a mere PR stunt of the president Poroshenko, as he prepares his visit to Washington. *ot*ot