Minsk Agreement, 2014: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - January - 2015
Minsk Agreement, 2014
The Ukraine crisis started after Ukrainian revolution, in which people came on streets. Ukrainian revolution has its genesis Ukraine joining European Union. Whole conflict started with Russia annexing the Crimean region of Ukraine. New government’s anti-Russia action’s also helped in forming public opinion in reions which are dominated by Russian speaking population. The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 with fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatist rebels. These rebels seized some towns like Sloviansk and Donetsk which are dominated by Russian speaking population. It has since escalated to outright-if-undeclared war between Russia and Ukraine.
New government in Ukraine came with a promise that it will end the conflict in weeks, is not able to achieve its objective. Fighting between the government and rebels is happening for months and it is not near to an end. During this period of fighting one commercial airplane was shot down in the region which led to the death of 280 people. Although both rebels and government blame each other for this but need for cease fire was felt by all world.
In order to achieve the objective of ceasefire for east Ukraine and bring the region out conflict a conference has been organised in Minsk between Ukrainiangovernment representatives and separatist leaders.This agreement came in the presence of officials from Russia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) were the parties to the agreement signed in the Minsk, it is an agreement to halt the war in the Donbass region of Ukraine.
Trilateral contact group composed of representatives from Ukraine, Russian Federation and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, agreed to take following steps to end the violence in the region:
1. Provide for immediate and two sided ceasefire.
2. Provide monitoring and verification from the side of OSCE of the ceasefire.
3. Conduct decentralization of power, including through approval of the Law of
Ukraine “On temporary order of local selfgovernment in certain districts of
Donetsk and Luhansk regions” (Law on special status)
4. Provide permanent monitoring at the UkrainianRussian state border, and
verification by OSCE, with creation of a safety zone in the areas adjacent to
the border in Ukraine and Russian Federation.
5. Immediately free all hostages and illegally held persons.
6. Approve a law to prevent persecution and punishment of persons in relation to
events that took place in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of
Ukraine.
7. Continue an inclusive national dialogue.
8. Take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Donbas.
9. Conduct early local elections in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On
temporary order of local selfgovernment in certain districts of Donetsk and
Luhansk regions” (Law on special status).
10. Remove illegal military formations, military equipment and militants and
mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine.
11. Approve a program for economic development of Donbas and renew the vital
functions of the region.
12. Give guarantees of personal security for participants of consultations.