Donetsk, Aug 3 - DAN. Donetsk and Lugansk are ready to resume face-to-face talks over Donbass, Donetsk People’s Republic Foreign Minister, DPR representative in the Contact Group Natalia Nikonorova told the Donetsk News Agency on Monday.
Earlier reports said that Russia suggested holding the next round of talks which due in late August in the Belarussian capital. Russian representative in the Contact Group Boris Gryzlov said on Monday that “there are all opportunities for it.”
“Personal acquaintance with the new participants and exchange of authentic and up-to-date information during the onsite meeting will contribute to more productive and intensive search for a way out of the situation which developed at the Minsk talks due to Ukraine’s destructive position,” Nikonorova said.
The People’s Republics are ready to work on any productive proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the negotiations, she said.
“So far we have not seen the slightest will to bring forward and coordinate such constructive proposals on the part of Ukraine, which makes any progress on the Minsk track impossible,” the DPR representative said.
The appointment of Finnish diplomat Mikko Kinnunen as the OSCE Chairperson’s Special Representative in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group who will take office on August 1 is another reason to return to onsite talks, Nikonorova said.
The Donbass settlement talks have been conducted via video conferences for more than a year. Face-to-face meetings were suspended due to the threat of spread of the coronavirus infection. Meanwhile, Kiev repeatedly called for moving the venue of the talks from Minsk.*jk