LUHANSK. Sept 28 (Interfax) - The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) might discuss a number of decisions seeking the settlement of the crisis at the next round of talks scheduled for September 29-30, but they will take effect after Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada revises its resolution on local elections as regards Donbas, envoy of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) to the TCG political subgroup Rodion Miroshnik said.
"The Contact Group on settlement of the Donbas conflict will have next talks on September 29-30, but the forecast is not inspiring [...]. The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada resolution 'On local elections [...]' was at odds and is still at odds with the Minsk Agreements," Miroshnik told Interfax on Monday.
The TCG negotiators might discuss a number of separate decisions seeking the settlement of the crisis at the talks, "but they will come into effect only after Kyiv brings its regulatory acts in compliance with the Minsk Agreements," the LPR envoy said.
"This concerns the sectors for disengagement and mine clearance, the exchange of prisoners and the opening of new checkpoints across the line of contact. Other issues might also be discussed, but there will be no final decision on them until Kyiv gets back to truly complying with the Minsk Agreements," Miroshnik said.
On July 15, deputies of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada endorsed a resolution to hold local elections on October 25 this year. In accordance with the document, local elections will be held throughout Ukraine except for certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are outside Kyiv's control. In line with the fourth clause of the resolution, the withdrawal of all military units, Ukraine's retaking control of the border with Russia, and other measures are set as conditions for holding local elections in Donbas. These provisions absolutely do not suit Donetsk and Luhansk, which find them as a violation of the Minsk Agreements and therefore seek a revision of this Rada resolution.