★ DPR welcomes disengagement in Stanitsa area, expects restored parity in other zones

Donetsk, Jun 30 – DAN. DPR authorities have welcomed the disengagement of forces and hardware in the Stanitsa Luganskaya zone, and hope that the same situation will soon be observed in other disengagement areas.

“We welcome the transpired disengagement in Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. We would like to emphases that Ukrainian authorities should provide the restoration of parity in other two disengagement zones, Petrovskoye and Zolotoye, in order to fulfill the Framework decision, as they have re-deployed their forces and hardware there therefore derailing previous disengagement efforts,” said DPR Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova.

LPR and DPR representatives initialed a Framework Agreement on pullback of forces in Donbass on September 21-23, 2016, which was also signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE. The document provides for three disengagement areas around Zolotoye, Stanitsa Luganskaya (LPR territory) and Petrovskoe (DPR territory). Security zones of at least zone two km wide and two km long are to be established in each sector. Disengagement was completed in Petrovskoye and Zolotoye in 2016.

Dozens of attempts to disengage in Stanitsa Lugansksya were disrupted by the Ukrainian side before the pull-back has finally transpired this week.

The Framework Agreement is key to further bilateral withdrawal of forces from the contact line which could significantly contribute to the peaceful settlement in the region. *ot