Donetsk, Oct 12 – DAN. The disengagement of forces and military hardware in Donbass should be completed in the three pilot areas before discussion on other zones is to start, DPR envoy to Minsk talks told DAN information agency.
"Despite the challenging situation we insist on fulfilment of the sides' obligations on the disengagement of forces and military hardware in the three pilot areas to proceed with discussion on other zones. There are a lot such areas along the contact line but step by step we can reach peace," Denis Pushilin's statement reads.
The DPR delegation head to Minsk talks noted that a videoconference held on Tuesday night by the Contact Group members did not live up to the People's Republics' expectations.
"But hope still exists that the disengagement of forces and military hardware in Stanitsa Luganskaya area will be carried out in the near future," Pushilin informed.
The question of recently intensified shellings of DPR territory by Ukraine was also discussed during the videoconference, he added.
DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko signed the Agreement on the Disengagement of Forces and Hardware in Donbass on September, 23. Earlier the document was signed by LPR Head Igor Plotnitsky and representatives of OSCE, Russia and Ukraine. The framework agreement covers disengagement of forces and military hardware in three zones: near Petrovskoye in DPR and Zolotoye and Stanitsa Luganskaya in LPR.
According to the document the disengagement should be completed within 30 days in each area of at least 2 km by 2 km. Sides should pull back forces synchronically under OSCE monitors observance. Once the disengagement is complete no servicemen are allowed in the areas except for the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observers.
Initially the disengagement was scheduled for October 1st but it was postponed due to Ukraine’s fail to start the process. After several attempts the disengagement was completed in Zolotoe and Petrovskoye areas.