Contact group to meet in Minsk on Friday – Kuchma

Thursday, September 18, 2014 - 17:39 (EEST) Section: Latest news

The contact group for the settlement of the conflict in Donbas will continue its work in Minsk on September 19.
Second Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said this in Dnipropetrovsk on Thursday, Ukrinform’s correspondent reported.
“Tomorrow I will again fly to Minsk along with the OSCE group,” Kuchma said.
He said that “difficult talks are to be held” in the Belarusian capital and that it was planned to adopt a document to ensure the previously approved protocol.
Kuchma said that the issue of federalization would not be raised at these talks.
“I know a clear position of the Ukrainian president on this issue – this is a ‘sacred cow.’ We do not recognize federalization and republics,” Kuchma said.
He said that Ukraine now needs peace without loss of territorial integrity and independence.
“Ukraine needs peace, of course, without loss of territorial integrity and independence. It’s clear that this process does not last not one day or one week. We must find mechanisms to stop the war,” Kuchma said.