Events

MINSK, 31 July (BelTA) – Minsk is playing host to the three-party talks of the contact group to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, BelTA has learned.

These are face-to-face consultations of the three-party contact group (Ukraine-OSCE-Russia) to resolve the situation in the east of Ukraine with representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. The parties are set to discuss ways of ensuring a safe access to the Malaysian Boeing crash site for international investigators and the release of the hostages held by the two sides.

The contact group includes the former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, Russia's Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov and representative of the current OSCE President in Ukraine Heidi Tagliavini.

The parties agreed on a possibility to involve experts to look through technical details of the issues under discussion.

As was reported, Ukrainian President Piotr Poroshenko called Belarusian head of state Alexander Lukashenko to ask to host the Ukrainian crisis talks. The telephone conversation between the two heads of state took place on 29 July.