Security body urge for proper truce in Ukraine

Key security-oriented intergovernmental body, the OSCE, has urged for ensuring a reliable and stable truce in Ukraine as the March 8 ceasefire was not adhered to, media reported.

Data released by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in late February showed the fightings since April 2014 between government troops and the pro-independence armed groups in Donbas have killed some 13,000 people, injured 30,000 others and displaced 1.5 million.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe special envoy to Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Ukraine, Martin Sajdik, said on Wednesday the spring cease-fire in Donbas announced to be implemented from March 8 is not being observed.

Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE discussed pressing humanitarian issues in eastern Ukraine during their latest meeting here on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The TCG's next meeting in Minsk is scheduled for March 27.

On Wednesday at the TCG meet, the issues thrashed included demining, a list of prisoners for exchange, improving the capacity of checkpoints at the line of contact, among others.

--IANS

in