OSCE representative blames both parties for violating east Ukraine cease-fire

The cease-fire regime in eastern Ukraine was violated by both parties to the conflict, said Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), on Wednesday.

The special representative urged the warring parties to give respite to civilians in the region at least during the Easter holiday period.

"All parties have violated the obligations that they have undertaken previously," Sajdik said here after a meeting of the Contact Group to resolve the situation in Ukraine.

Sajdik said the cease-fire was violated 4,700 times in 24 hours, and heavy weapons were again being used.

The special representative said that the warring parties have been called on to re-open checkpoints along the dividing line. Checkpoints in the Luhansk region, which remain closed, should be re-opened in the first place, he added.

Boris Gryzlov, Russia's representative in the Contact Group on Ukraine, said the Russian delegation had prepared a political roadmap as part of the Minsk agreements to be implemented before the end of the first half of 2016.

"Only implementation of the Minsk agreements can guarantee long-term stability. This is exactly why I think the roadmap should be agreed upon as early as today," Gryzlov said. Endi