Interfax: Moscow hopes Minsk peace accords for Ukraine will be extended – source

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax) – Moscow believes that it would be advisable to extend the validity period of the Minsk peace agreements for Ukraine to 2016, a Russian diplomatic source told Interfax on Friday.

“We hope that the ‘Minsk-2’ [accords] will be prolonged. This stems from the very course of the settlement [process], in particular the decision of the DPR and the LPR (self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics) to reschedule their elections and the observance of the ceasefire by the sides,” the source said after being asked about Russia’s stance on the possibility of extending the Minsk peace deal.

At the same time, the source noted that the issue of extending the ‘Minsk-2’ agreements “has no time limits, but there is a wish that the implementation of the agreements would not fade away into eternity.”

“What is important today is for this work within the Contact Group, especially within its political sub-group, to gain momentum,” he said.

“If we abide by the letter and the spirit of OSCE standards when fulfilling the ‘Minsk-2’, no matter which way you look at it, it will spill over into January 2016 at least,” the source added.

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