At the meeting it was agreed to move ahead rapidly with the practical implementation of the Geneva Statement. In this regard the meeting’s participants recognized the need to take immediate concrete steps towards de-escalation. The Ukrainian side informed the meeting on first steps already taken in this direction.  The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission informed the meeting of its plans to send the Deputy Chief Monitor to Eastern Ukraine today to work on the practical modalities of the implementation, as well as on the ongoing work of the monitoring teams on the ground.

The participants in the meeting agreed to meet regularly in the coming days to coordinate implementation of the Geneva Statement as swiftly as possible.

 

Practical steps of the Ukrainian Side towards implementation of Geneva Statement 

The Government of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine a draft law on the amnesty of participants of the riots in the Eastern regions. The provisions of the document will cover the protesters who will surrender arms and administrative buildings, except those suspected of committing grave crimes.

The Parliamentary coalition invited all political forces represented in the Parliament of Ukraine to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the ways to resolve the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Specific proposals to achieve a national consensus were announced on April 18, 2014 in the statement of the Acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov and Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk (http://www.kmu.gov.ua/control/publish/article?art_id=247226329).

The active phase of the counter-terrorism operation has been suspended. The operation itself continues. Its main task remains to ensure a security perimeter against armed separatists and to prevent civilian casualties.

 The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the Concept of reforming local self-government and territorial organization of power in Ukraine, the main idea of which is decentralization of power in the country, a significant empowerment of local communities, change of management system at regional and district levels. A broad public debate on the matter will continue until October 1, 2014.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service continue implementing the active campaign launched earlier to seize illegal arms from the population.

On the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiative regular consultations with the participation of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, representatives of the Swiss Chairmanship of the OSCE, EU, Russian Federation and U.S. were launched.