MOSCOW. June 9 (Interfax) - The chief peace negotiator of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) has expressed hope that Heidi Tagliavini's step-down as special representative for Ukraine of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will not affect the activities of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine.
"It's quite possible that Heidi Tagliavini's decision was affected by the fact that the situation [in the conflict-stricken part of eastern Ukraine] has significantly deteriorated," Vladislav Deinego told Russia's Rossiya 1 television.
Deinego praised the June 2 meeting in Minsk.
"There was consensus on many points. There were no reports from the coordinators of working groups, but that's not a matter as serious as being the reason for resignation. Apparently, there were some other, unmentioned reasons. Let's hope that this decision won't affect the work of the Contact Group," Deinego said.
He said no postponement of Contact Group meetings set for June 16 and June 23 had been announced yet.
He accused Kyiv of scheming to escalate the conflict.
"I have information that Ukrainian forces are being redeployed from remote checkpoints into the contact zone, plus the humanitarian situation is deteriorating as well. [Head of the Luhansk Regional Civilian-Military Administration] Hennadiy Moskal has given orders to cut off water supply from northern territories. Information is coming in that Kyiv wants to seek the complete isolation of the DPR [self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic] and LPR. That runs against the Minsk agreements," Deinego said.
The Swiss foreign ministry has confirmed Swiss media reports on Saturday that Tagliavini is stepping down as OSCE special representative for Ukraine. No reason was given for her decision.
Meanwhile, a Contact Group source told Interfax: "Heidi Tagliavini tried to play the role of a kind of arbitrator and took a rather passive stance at negotiations. Apparently, one of the reasons for her departure is that the OSCE wants to play a more active role in this process."