11:04 04.01.2018

Gabriel says JCCC's work foresees direct contact between Ukrainian, Russian representatives

2 min read
Gabriel says JCCC's work foresees direct contact between Ukrainian, Russian representatives

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said that the activity of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) in Donbas foresees direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian representatives.

When asked to comment on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's idea of delegating representatives of Germany and France to the JCCC, Gabriel said: "The goal of the center is to have a direct connection between Ukraine and Russia. The goal is to avoid conflicts and, if there are any, to curb and stop them. The replacement of Russian officers in this commission will not bring any advantage, because its goal is to maintain direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian representatives."

The minister added that in this connection the task was to return Russian representatives to the JCCC.

The German government said in a statement on December 22 that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had agreed during a phone conversation that Germany and France should become mediators with the goal of returning Russian servicemen to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) in Donbas.

"The Chancellor of Germany and the President of Ukraine spoke in favor of the Russian officers returning to the JCCC as soon as possible. The parties envisaged that specialists from Germany and France will conduct an intermediary function in the coming days," the document says.

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