OSCE mission to Ukraine: Conflicting parties must promptly provide info on heavy weapons withdrawal
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) expects the signatories to the Minsk agreements to provide information on the withdrawal of heavy weapons within the shortest possible time, the SMM reports with reference to the SMM chief monitor, Ertugrul Apakan.
"More than 10 days ago we wrote to the signatories to make clear what is needed from them if the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine is to fulfill the task given to the mission regarding monitoring and heavy weapons withdrawal. This includes: what heavy weapons they have; where these weapons are now, and which routes will be used to withdraw them; and where they will be located after they have been withdrawn," Apakan said in the statement.
"The parties concerned still have not provided this information, and they need to do so promptly," he said.
"The SMM has already been monitoring the movement of heavy weapons for five months, but there is a clear distinction between this activity, which we will continue - and being able to report that these weapons are indeed withdrawn, and safely and securely stored," he said.
"The SMM can monitor and verify this process in a credible manner. We look forward to being able to report that these weapons, which have caused such widespread devastation and displacement, have been indeed pulled back," he said.
The SMM had stated earlier it could not confirm that the conflicting parties had indeed pulled back their heavy weapons.