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KYIV, 3 February 2021 The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

According to data of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), the average number of ceasefire violations in the conflict zone remains well below the levels recorded prior to the entry into force of the Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire on 27 July 2020. These Measures agreed by the TG are overall respected.

At today's TCG meeting, however, a trend of increasing tensions was noted, including the increase in the number of ceasefire violations. In particular, on 28 January, the SMM recorded the highest level of violations since the Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire came into force.

Participants in the Security Working Group meeting discussed the conditions for carrying out repair and reconstruction works at the gas distribution station near the city of Marinka, including the possibility of assistance by the OSCE SMM in coordinating the necessary security guarantees and ensuring enhanced monitoring of the works.

In addition, the general security situation in the conflict zone, the observance of the ceasefire regime and the effectiveness of the co-ordination mechanism for responding to its violations were discussed.

The debates of the Political Working Group focused on issues related to the implementation of the tasking given by the TCG to develop a draft action plan in full compliance with the Minsk agreements.

The Humanitarian Working Group discussed the operational details of the future functioning of the entry-exit crossing points (EECPs) on the contact line near Zolote and Shchastia of the Luhansk region.

Mindful of the interests of civilians in the conflict zone, I urge the participants of the TCG to take early action to resolve all open questions on the way to the simultaneous opening of these EECPs.

During the Working Group's discussions, issues of the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees were also duly considered.

Discussions in the Economic Working Group were mainly devoted to such topics as the provision of water supplies across the contact line in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as well as environmental issues, in particular the question of an international inspection of the storage sites of radioactive materials in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 03 February 2021 - Ukraine - ReliefWeb