DONETSK. June 22 (Interfax) - The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has called the 'bread truce' an important step as part of efforts to reduce tensions in the conflict in Donbas, but said it does not expect that Kyiv will observe it in full.
"It [the 'bread truce'] is a significant and important step in order to prevent a seasonal escalation, and it is certain that this mechanism will help reduce tensions and alter the tendency toward an upsurge in strikes... Do I believe that it will help ensure a complete ceasefire? No, I don't, unfortunately. We are dealing with Ukraine, a country that is unable to reach agreements," DPR chief negotiator Denis Pushilin told reporters.
"The tendencies indicate that Ukraine will shoot anyway, but, hopefully, to a lesser extent," Pushilin said.
The DPR is awaiting the Ukrainian side's response as regards measures and a seven-day truce in order to disengage the forces and hardware in Stanytsia Luhanska, Pushilin said.
"The disengagement will be carried out on June 26. Measures need to be taken prior to it. It is a series of steps that I would not like to reveal because Ukraine has yet to coordinate them domestically. It is our proposals that the Contact Group appears to have approved," he said.
It was reported that at its meeting in Minsk on Wednesday, the Trilateral Contact Group reached an agreement on a so-called 'bread truce', which is a ceasefire for the duration of the harvesting period, from June 24 through August 31.