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Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik has said the parties to the conflict confirmed their commitment to the disengagement of forces in the town of Zolote and the village of Petrivske in Ukraine's Donbas.

The security situation in the conflict zone and the disengagement of forces and weapons in Zolote and Petrivske were the main topics on the agenda of today's meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group and its subgroup on security, the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA) learned from Sajdik after a regular meeting of the TCG in Minsk on October 15.

The disengagement of forces was scheduled for October 7 during the previous meeting in Minsk. However, the parties have not managed to renew it to date. "Nevertheless, today they've confirmed their commitment to fulfilling this decision. I hope we will see this decision implemented in the near future," the diplomat said.

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The new schedule for the disengagement of forces and weapons in Zolote and Petrivske was discussed today. "But I cannot say we've come to terms on some specific date," Sajdik added.

He noted with regret that he could not positively evaluate the observance of the ceasefire, the number of violations had increased sharply. "This is why I once again implore the sides to recognize their political and humanitarian responsibility before civilians and do everything necessary to ensure a lasting ceasefire," he said.

Summing up today's talks, Sajdik said the subgroup on economic affairs had discussed among other things mobile communication and water supply across the contact line in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the payment of pensions.

The subgroup on humanitarian affairs continued discussing the exchange of captives. The search for missing persons was mentioned as well.

The subgroup on political affairs focused on the legal implementation of the special status of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including taking into account the process of decentralization in Ukraine. The sides also discussed the amnesty, as well as the modality of local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Trilateral Contact Group on resolving the situation in Ukraine's east will reconvene on October 29.