OSCE welcomes signing of accord to separate conflicting forces in eastern Ukraine

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Envoy Martin Sajdik Wednesday welcomed the signing of an accord by Ukraine and independence-seeking insurgents to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from three hot spots as "a big step forward."

"This is a very big and important step forward. This agreement was being waited at the top, not only in Russia and Ukraine, but also in Germany and France", Sajdik told reporters here on Wednesday.

The Contact Group on Ukraine crisis signed on Wednesday the framework deal on separating the conflicting forces in the country's eastern region of Donbas, said a spokesperson for Kiev's delegate.

Earlier, Darka Olifer, the spokesperson for Ukraine's representative in the group Leonid Kuchma, wrote on her Facebook page that "The document envisages the de-escalation near the contact line and actually creates the conditions under which small arms cannot be used for attacks,"

At the first stage, the Ukrainian government and independence-seeking insurgents will withdraw their weapons and troops from three clearly-defined sections of the contact line, Olifer said, noting that in the future the separation of forces could be carried out along the entire frontline.

International observers from the OSCE will monitor the withdrawal process, she added.

The pullback of weapons from the contact line in eastern Ukraine is one of the key provisions of the Minsk peace deal signed in early 2015, designed to put an end to the prolonged conflict, which has killed more than 9,600 people and injured 225,000 others over the past two years.

The next meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk is scheduled for Oct. 5. Endit