MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - Denis Pushilin, chief negotiator of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) at meetings of the trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, hopes that an upcoming "Normandy format" meeting in Berlin will address mechanisms for implementing the Minsk memorandum.
"The diplomats' meeting will proceed in the "Normandy format". This format of meetings has been sufficiently productive in terms of proposing solutions to the military conflict in Ukraine. We hope that today's meeting in Berlin will clarify mechanisms for implementing the Minsk memorandum," Pushilin was quoted as saying by the Donetsk news agency on Jan 5.
According to earlier reports, the political directors of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, the members of the "Normandy format", are expected to meet in Berlin on January 5 to discuss ways to settle the Ukrainian crisis. Viktor Sorokin, director of the Foreign Ministry's 2nd CIS Department, will represent Russia at this event. A similar meeting may be held at the ministerial level within the next few days as well.