An agreement aimed at ending the fighting in Ukraine has been
reached, following marathon talks in Belarus.The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France announced that a ceasefire would begin on 15 February.
The deal also includes weapon withdrawals and prisoner exchanges, but key issues remain to be settled.
The pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have signed the agreement. Thousands of people have died in almost a year of fighting in the region.
The BBC's Richard Galpin in Minsk says the deal is very similar to a ceasefire agreed last September, which unravelled very quickly.
The latest agreement includes:
- Ceasefire to begin at 00:01 local time on 15 February
- Heavy weapons to be withdrawn, beginning on 16 February and completed in two weeks
- All prisoners to be released; amnesty for those involved in fighting
- Withdrawal of all foreign troops and weapons from Ukrainian territory. Disarmament of all illegal groups
- Ukraine to allow resumption of normal life in rebel areas, by lifting restrictions
- Constitutional reform to enable decentralisation for rebel regions by the end of 2015
- Ukraine to control border with Russia if conditions met by the end of 2015
- Key unresolved issues include the status of Debaltseve, a
government-held town surrounded by rebels, where fighting is still going
on.
Further talks will also be held on self-rule in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.
Source:BBC
No comments:
Post a Comment