OSCE Chairman, foreign Minister of Austria Sebastian Kurz during his visit to the Donbass assured that the lifting of sanctions against Russia tied to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Comments about this “Segodnya” said the MP Serhiy Taruta, who was part of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with the Austrian diplomats.
“Comments that were very much he gave them, not only at press conferences that the sanctions may be reduced only after the implementation of the Minsk agreements with a rigid binding. I felt that here his position had changed. Yesterday evening we had a long chat and of course everything, including his position and the other leaders of the Ministry of foreign Affairs (Austria – Ed.) clearly linked to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The question is that the format of the Minsk agreements will need to Refine and improve it. But no one now is not going to unilaterally remove sanctions,” – said Sergey Taruta.
Also, according to the MP, discussed the strengthening of the functions of the OSCE and including the police mission. “This requires a mandate, he (Kurtz – Ed.) doesn’t make decisions. Although, as I understand it, he had no objection on this issue to be more effective in monitoring and influencing the actions of the militants. It was about the admission of representatives of OSCE on the whole territory (now the militants do not allow the SMM to the occupied Donbas – Ed.)”, – said Taruta.
In relation to the mission of the OSCE SMM and possible deployment in Donbas armed police mission discussed a theoretical possibility, but practical implementation is quite complex – requires the consent of all 57 member countries of the OSCE and the budget.
“From the budget, which is today the OSCE, 170 million euros, 100 million euros pledged for Ukraine. And now a very important question, will they be able to allocate such huge funds for further financing of the finding of representatives of the OSCE in the Donbas as of the line of control and for the Humanities. When they took the decision to send representatives here, they had an understanding that this conflict should not take a long time. And we for the third year have. For them the challenge of how to continue funding. This question remains open”, – concluded Taruta.
Remember, today ends a two-day visit the foreign Minister of Austria, Sebastian Kurz to the Donbass. In 2017, Austria took over the chairmanship of the OSCE from Germany. Officially, the priorities of the Austrian presidency in 2017 Sebastian Kurz will announce on 12 January in Vienna at the permanent Council of the OSCE. Previously the head of the Austrian foreign Ministry said that the OSCE will be able to find the way to solve “conflicts on the continent, including Ukrainian”. For this, Kurtz decided to personally visit the Donbass. Ahead of his visit to the Donbass in an interview with Der Spiegel Kurtz said about a possible gradual lifting of sanctions against Russia.
