MINSK (Sputnik) – An OSCE coordinator of the humanitarian subgroup, Toni Frisch, visited Lugansk to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground two weeks ago.
"The schedule to demine and restore communication along the Nikitovka-Mayorsk railway section will be prepared next week."
He elaborated that the section plays a key role in ensuring the supply of coal, adding that all sides in the conflict will be involved in its restoration, including Donetsk railway.
Sajdik also reported that the humanitarian subgroup agreed on the need to restore the work of checkpoints across the line of contact in the Lugansk region. The checkpoints are currently closed to pedestrian and vehicle movement.
"Every effort must be made to ensure the secure supply of the population living directly along the contact line with humanitarian aid."
Contact Group Agrees on Expert Inspection of East Ukraine Water Supply Sites
One of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation’s four subgroups agreed on expert evaluation of water supply facilities in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics (DPR and LPR), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) special representative in the trilateral group said.
“Experts will visit and assess two water supply sites in Donetsk and Lugansk regions,” Martin Sajdik told reporters.
He stressed that all sides in the conflict are interested in the smooth operation of the sites because they supply both sides of the line of contact with water.
LPR envoy to the group Vladislav Deinego, in turn, assessed the results of the economic subgroup's work as "relatively serious." He added that the experts are expected to bring the water supply restoration issue to a pre-project phase.
"These questions are at the technical processing stage. There is hope that the economic team will work more efficiently than others."
The subgroups on political, economic, security and humanitarian issues were outlined in the Minsk ceasefire agreement worked out by the Russian, German, French and Ukrainian leaders and signed by the sides to the Ukrainian conflict.
The four subgroups began their marathon work in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Monday afternoon. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry's press secretary later said the security subgroup is expected to resume work early Tuesday.
