Donetsk, Oct 31 – DAN. Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea (non-permanent members of the UN Security Council until 2019) to the United Nations Anatolio Ndong Mba has said that cooperation between the sides of Donbass conflict is essential to its settlement.
"De-escalating tensions requires cooperation and efforts from the conflicting sides, and continued violations of the ceasefire are concerning. In this connection, we express condolences over the death of Alexander Zakharchenko on August 31 and call on the sides to respect the ceasefire and to apply effort for cooperation and collaboration for the sake of de-escalation in the region."
He said that only direct talks of the conflicting sides could lead to peace in Donbass.
The Ambassador has also urged the international community to welcome the sides' peace efforts, be it the Minsk Talks or the Normandy Four meetings.
The UN Security Council met in New York on October 30 to discuss the legitimacy of the upcoming elections of the DPR and LPR Heads and Parliaments. Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin said such a discussion in the absence of Donbass representatives was "confusing". Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that the elections are needed to avoid the power vacuum in the region and suggested LPR Central Election Commission chairwoman Elena Kravchenko should be invited, but the voters turned down the proposal. *ot