On 27 June a regular meeting of the humanitarian subgroup took place in Minsk. I would like to note that plenipotentiary representatives of the Ukrainian side didn’t attend the meeting. Due to the fault of Ukrainian officials, we couldn’t discuss any issues on the agenda, namely:
- adoption of a Declaration condemning all forms of torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence and threats of violence against persons detained in connection with the conflict;
- performing the second stage of the exchange under the formula “all confirmed for all confirmed”;
- the issue of missing persons;
- the return of documents, as well as the question of a legal status of persons, who returned to the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of the exchange.
Due to the indifference of the Ukrainian side, many questions cannot be resolved. I would like to note that we do not understand how we can move forward, and we are really disappointed. We had great hopes for the today’s meeting because the following one is scheduled for 25 July, almost a month from now. I would like to add that the Ukrainian side did not provide any written response, namely:
- the procedural status of persons, who were exchanged on 27 December 2017, as well as the reasons why they haven’t received identity documents and medical records;
- the possibility of release and transfer of citizens of the Russian Federation, who had been included in the exchange list by the Ukrainian side considering their procedural status;
- if there is any progress on the issue of missing persons;
- whether the Ukrainian side continues to place people into categories or not;
- the position of the Ukrainian side concerning the exchange formula “all confirmed for all confirmed”.
For our part, we reminded the Coordinator Tony Frisch that the Donetsk People’s Republic has long been ready to perform the second stage of the exchange under the “all confirmed for all confirmed” format. Also, we expressed our commitment to the adoption of a Declaration condemning all forms of torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence and threats of violence against persons detained in connection with the conflict, in the format proposed by Mr Frisch.
The Ukrainian side showed again its unwillingness to implement Minsk Agreement and showed its true attitude to destinies of their citizens. I would like to remind that there are families of detainees and missing persons on both sides of the Contact line, and those families must know where their relatives are.
