Negotiations on Ukraine in Paris: more questions than answers – BFM.Ru

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left the event without waiting for the outcome of the application. According to him, one of the leitmotifs of the meeting was to discuss the normalization of social and economic relations, as well as banking services for the population of the territory controlled by militias

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters

In Paris, there was a meeting of the foreign ministers’ Norman Quartet “consultation lasted about three hours. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed the talks. He apologized that he had to leave the meeting without waiting for the application. As the minister explained, it must fly to Moscow to meet with the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, but he summarized the negotiations. In addition to removal of heavy weapons, and discussed other important issues, Lavrov said.

Sergey Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister

What could imply strengthening the OSCE mandate, which said Fabius, a form of acting as a peacekeepers, which insists Kiev? And if earlier Poroshenko was against peacekeepers, now “for”. How Come? Opinion on this matter with Business FM shared German political scientist Alexander Rahr.

Alexander Rahr: When the crisis began in Ukraine, the West, especially Germany and France, spoke in favor of the organization of the OSCE, which in recent years have simply fell asleep and in fact no longer existed only on paper, was a major factor in solving the crisis in Ukraine. Now, we think, four sides – Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany – agreed that the organization receives additional functions. Its membership, which now operates in Ukraine, will be expanded, they will supply, to track how the Minsk process of removing heavy equipment from the military zone demilitarization and so on. I think this is a good step, because today there is no alternative to the OSCE. The European Union can not, as suggested by Ukraine to send peacekeeping troops there. NATO can not enter into the territory of Ukraine, the OSCE, from all points of view – the most correct, the only international organization that can achieve strengthen, stabilize the Minsk process.

Does this mean that on a mission OSCE will be charged in some form part of the very peacekeepers, which insists Kiev?

Alexander Rahr : I think that the issue of peacekeepers themselves yet so sharply is not necessary, but, in the end, I can not exclude that this will be so. Peacekeeping operations were carried out on the former Soviet Union under the auspices of the OSCE a few years ago, remember, in Georgia. So, the OSCE, the former Soviet Union has played a relevant role, so I can assume that the role of the OSCE will expand. As far as the OSCE “blue helmets” really stand on the Ukrainian land, an issue that requires a very thorough understanding and trust on all sides.

Earlier Poroshenko was categorically opposed to the introduction of troops, and now Kiev actively “for”. Why?

Alexander Rahr: It seems to me that Ukraine long weeks when the question really was scared that the OSCE peacekeeping unit fix is ​​already very long border between formal militias, ie the Donbas, autonomous Donbass, Ukraine and the other part of & lt; … & gt; Ukraine tried to solve this problem in a different way, but for now, I think all parties understand that military means have not otvoyuesh additional territories, and military conflict need to pause, too heavy losses ahead of all parties. Nobody wants to, I think, more so serious fight. So now actually and Ukraine, in the first place, advocates to & lt; … & gt; OSCE really would take on the role of both sides of the conflict to distinguish. And, I think, some militia groups also do not mind if it happens so. In fact, they thus legitimize their autonomy. The last word, of course, for Russia. And Russia adheres to wait and see, but do not exclude that the process will go in this direction.

Requests to increase the number of OSCE observation mission in Ukraine from 50 to 150 people. The current mandate is to work up to 500 observers. Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE Andrey Kelin called the “wrong approach” Kiev statements about the delay in the withdrawal of heavy weapons. He also said that in order to monitor the cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, the OSCE, Kiev, DNR and LC create the Joint Control Commission.