MOSCOW
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe published Thursday the signed copy of the cease-fire agreement for Ukraine that was achieved in Minsk, Belarus, after 17 hours of negotiations.
The talks for a settlement of the conflict in the Donbass region of Ukraine included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, as well as participants of the OSCE's Trilateral Contact Group, which included representatives of the separatist territories.
The following is a translation of the Russian text of the agreement that includes 13 main points.
Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements:
1. Immediate and full cease-fire in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine, and its strict enforcement as of 00.00 midnight (Kiev time) on Feb. 15, 2015.
2. Withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides at equal distance with the aim of creating a security zone at minimum 50 kilometers apart for artillery of 100mm caliber or more, and a security zone of 70 kilometers for MLRS and 140 kilometers for MLRS Tornado-S, Uragan, Smerch and tactical missile systems, Tochka U.
- For Ukrainian troops, from actual line of contact.
- For armed formations of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine, from the contact line in accordance with the Minsk memorandum of Sept. 19, 2014.
- The pullout of the above mentioned heavy weapons has to start no later than the second day after the cease-fire and finish within 14 days.
- This process will be assisted by the OSCE with the support of the Trilateral Contact Group.
3. Effective monitoring and verification of the cease-fire and withdrawal of heavy weapons will be provided by the OSCE from the first day of the pullout, using all necessary technical means, including satellites, drones, radio-location systems etc.
4. On the first day after the withdrawal, a dialogue will start on modalities of conducting local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine on the temporary order of local self-governance, in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and also about the future of these districts based on the above mentioned law.
- Without delays, but no later than 30 days from the date of signing of this document, a resolution has to be approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, indicating the territory which falls under the special regime in accordance with the law. “On the temporary order of local self-governance in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts,” based on the Minsk memorandum of Sept. 19, 2014.
5. Provide pardon and amnesty by way of enacting a law that forbids persecution and punishment of persons in relation to events that took place in particular areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine.
6. Provide release and exchange of all hostages and illegally held persons, based on the principle of “all for all.” This process has to end – at the latest – on the fifth day after the pullout (of weapons).
7. Provide safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid to the needy based on an international mechanism.
8. Define the modalities of a full restoration of social and economic connections, including social transfers, such as payments of pensions and other payments (income and revenue, timely payment of communal bills, restoration of tax payments within the framework of Ukrainian legal field).
- With this aim, Ukraine will restore management over the segment of its banking system in the districts affected by the conflict, and possibly, an international mechanism will be established to ease such transactions.
9. Restore full control over the state border by Ukrainian government in the whole conflict zone, which has to start on the first day after the local elections and end after the full political regulation (local elections in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts based on the law of Ukraine and Constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, on the condition of fulfillment of Point 11 – in consultations and in agreement with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.
10. The pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. The disarmament of all illegal groups.
11. Implementation of constitutional reform in Ukraine, with the new constitution to come into effect by the end of 2015, the key element of which is decentralization (taking into account peculiarities of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, agreed with representatives of these districts), and also approval of permanent legislation on special status of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, in accordance with the measures spelt out in the footnotes, by the end of 2015.
12. Based on the Ukrainian law, "on the temporary order of self-governance in the particular districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts," questions dealing with local elections will be discussed and agreed upon by representatives of the areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group. Elections will be held in accordance with the relevant OSCE standards and monitored by OSCE/ODIHR.
13. Intensify the work of the Trilateral Contact Group, including through the establishment of working groups on the implementation of relevant aspects of the Minsk agreements. They will reflect the composition of the Trilateral Contact Group.
Participants of the Trilateral Contact Group:
Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini
Second President of Ukraine L.D. Kuchma
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ukraine M.Yu Zubarov
A.V. Zakharchenko
I.V. Plotnitskiy
