KYIV. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has explained how he sees a "transitional version" of joint patrol and security measures in militia-controlled districts of Donbas when they hold local elections in the future.
"No one likes the Steinmeier formula, but I like this part of it very much. We presume that elections won't happen until all illegal formations are disbanded. Elections could take place only under the Ukrainian flag with the Central Elections Commission and all government agencies of Ukraine. On the other hand, the Minsk Agreements say 'people's militia', which does not exist anywhere in our legislative space. And it is necessary to resolve this issue somehow. Today, there is the 'people's militia of the LPR' and the 'people's militia of the DPR', but they should be disbanded. And we are once again looking for a compromise," Avakov said on the Pravo na Vladu program aired by the television channel 1+1 on Thursday night.
Ukraine is prepared to send its police forces and restore order as soon as a relevant agreement is signed by diplomats, he said.
"The idea was that we send our police forces, for example, a patrol of five people: two from the National Guard of Ukraine, one from an OSCE special police mission, and two representatives of territorial legislatures to where elections are taking place," Avakov said.
Such an option was borrowed from the experience of world conflicts, among other sources, he said.
"Croatia was once in a similar situation. This is a transitional period of such a challenging special police mission. It doesn't take long, but it is extremely difficult for policemen themselves. It is fraught with gigantic internal conflicts and even casualties, because clashes occur in any case. But obviously there is no other path, and this is the minimum volume of difficulties we can encounter while restoring our sovereignty," Avakov said.