OSCE calls for immediate withdrawal of heavy weapons from contact line in E. Ukraine

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) continued to record numerous violations of the ceasefire in southeast Ukraine, OSCE special envoy in the talks on Ukraine, Martin Sajdik, said on Wednesday.

A majority of casualties among civilians and servicemen have been sustained in shelling involving heavy weaponry, the diplomat told reporters in Minsk.

He said that heavy weaponry must be withdrawn in line with the Minsk agreements.

The special envoy said participants of Wednesdayday's meeting paid close attention to determining new sites for separating forces and assets. Sajdik said he hoped that the forces will be separated near Stanitsa Luganskaya within the next few days.

The parties also continued to discuss the so-called "Steinmeier formula" regarding the modalities of the local elections in some regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the diplomat said.

The "Steinmeier forumula" refers to a mechanism aimed at ending hostilities in eastern Ukraine, which has been proposed by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The next session of the trilateral contact group on Ukraine is scheduled for Dec. 7 and the security subgroup will meet in Minsk one day before that date.

Earlier, a spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, Dmitry Mironchik, said that Belarus was ready to hold in Minsk a possible meeting of foreign ministers of "Normandy Quartet" -- Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France. Endit