Donetsk, Dec15 – DAN. DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko said Minsk talks might continue next year.
“The issue of extending talks has not been raised yet. But Denis Pushilin (DPR envoy to Minsk talks – eds DAN) said some meetings had been scheduled for the next year,” Zakharchenko told reporters on Thursday. ”Judging by ongoing processes, it would be logical to adjourn negotiations to 2017.”
The Donbass peace plan is based on the Contact Group’s Minsk agreements dated 20 September 2014 and 12 February 2015. At the September talks, the Contact Group agreed a peace plan and ceasefire while at the February talks it signed a memorandum on ceasefire and the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements.
The document envisions immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbass as of 15 February, withdrawal of heavy weapons to create security zones, definition of modalities of full resumption of socio-economic ties, including social transfers such as pension payments to DPR and LPR residents and constitutional reform in Ukraine providing for deep decentralisation of government functions. *jk