WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.332
Good evening, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

2
00:00:04.332 --> 00:00:08.756
I would like to say a couple of words regarding 

3
00:00:08.756 --> 00:00:10.427
the agreements reached with my colleagues.

4
00:00:10.427 --> 00:00:14.144
First on the Minsk Agreements: all the participants in today's meeting 

5
00:00:14.144 --> 00:00:17.421
agreed that a settlement in south-eastern Ukraine should be based 

6
00:00:17.421 --> 00:00:19.896
on the Minsk Agreements and we all confirmed our commitment 

7
00:00:19.896 --> 00:00:22.214
to these agreements.

8
00:00:22.214 --> 00:00:30.095
We devoted a great deal of attention to security matters and agreed 

9
00:00:30.095 --> 00:00:37.976
on a range of issues regarding further immediate actions to resolve 

10
00:00:37.976 --> 00:00:44.119
the situation with disengaging the conflicting sides.

11
00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:50.841
We agreed to continue searching for locations where these 

12
00:00:50.841 --> 00:00:56.850
efforts can be continued.

13
00:00:56.850 --> 00:01:00.848
In two locations the disengagement has already taken place.

14
00:01:00.848 --> 00:01:06.655
We confirmed our readiness to expand the OSCE mission 

15
00:01:06.655 --> 00:01:10.809
in the disengagement zone and in locations where heavy 

16
00:01:10.809 --> 00:01:14.719
equipment is stored.

17
00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:21.359
We confirmed that we will continue our joint efforts on the political 

18
00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:27.239
track, including those directed at reaching final endorsement 

19
00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:33.879
on the procedure for implementing the agreement on the special status 

20
00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:38.431
of certain areas in Lugansk and Donetsk regions,

21
00:01:38.431 --> 00:01:44.786
in the Lugansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic.

22
00:01:44.786 --> 00:01:49.908
We also agreed on certain – only some, unfortunately –

23
00:01:49.908 --> 00:01:51.900
humanitarian matters.

24
00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:56.453
Regrettably, we did not make much progress here,

25
00:01:56.453 --> 00:02:02.807
though we did express our readiness to resolve humanitarian issues.

26
00:02:02.807 --> 00:02:06.127
Here progress was probably minimal,

27
00:02:06.127 --> 00:02:11.723
because this is mainly linked to arranging social payments 

28
00:02:11.723 --> 00:02:20.054
and benefits. Unfortunately, no progress has been made here.

29
00:02:20.054 --> 00:02:23.969
This was the first part of our meeting.

30
00:02:23.969 --> 00:02:30.796
The second matter, discussed with our European – German and French –

31
00:02:30.796 --> 00:02:36.819
colleagues dealt with the situation around Syria and Syrian 

32
00:02:36.819 --> 00:02:39.027
settlement in general.

33
00:02:39.027 --> 00:02:46.155
I informed our European partners of our view on the developments there 

34
00:02:46.155 --> 00:02:52.178
and on what needs to be done immediately to fight terrorism,

35
00:02:52.178 --> 00:02:55.893
to root out terrorism on Syrian soil,

36
00:02:55.893 --> 00:03:01.791
to make sure this hotbed does not flare up again in the future, and,

37
00:03:01.791 --> 00:03:06.821
of course, what should be done to ensure that our efforts 

38
00:03:06.821 --> 00:03:09.163
lead to a final settlement.

39
00:03:09.163 --> 00:03:14.540
Primarily we spoke of the political component in this process.

40
00:03:14.540 --> 00:03:20.525
I reminded our colleagues yet again that Russia suggests stepping up 

41
00:03:20.525 --> 00:03:24.688
efforts to develop and adopt a new constitution,

42
00:03:24.688 --> 00:03:29.719
on the basis of which preliminary elections could be held 

43
00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:34.663
and a preliminary agreement could be reached between all 

44
00:03:34.663 --> 00:03:36.744
the conflicting parties.

45
00:03:36.744 --> 00:03:41.515
This would naturally have to involve all the countries 

46
00:03:41.515 --> 00:03:44.724
in the region drawn into the process.

47
00:03:44.724 --> 00:03:48.106
We also informed them of our intention,

48
00:03:48.106 --> 00:03:54.091
the intention of the Russian side to extend the pause in air strikes 

49
00:03:54.091 --> 00:03:59.902
for as long as possible, based on the actual situation in the area.

50
00:03:59.902 --> 00:04:04.846
We are ready to do this until the rebel groups in Aleppo 

51
00:04:04.846 --> 00:04:07.014
step up their activities.

52
00:04:07.014 --> 00:04:12.305
We also expect our partners, primarily our American partners,

53
00:04:12.305 --> 00:04:18.116
to do everything they have promised so far to disengage the Jabhat 

54
00:04:18.116 --> 00:04:24.014
al-Nusra terrorists and similar terrorist groups from the so-called 

55
00:04:24.014 --> 00:04:29.825
healthy opposition, so we can see what we need to do next together.

56
00:04:29.825 --> 00:04:34.682
This is generally what our discussions today were about 

57
00:04:34.682 --> 00:04:37.892
and what we have managed to agree on.

58
00:04:37.892 --> 00:04:43.443
Now I think it is time for you too to go home and get some rest.

59
00:04:43.443 --> 00:04:47.085
That you very much for your joint efforts.

60
00:04:47.085 --> 00:04:48.039
Good night.