MINSK, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The OSCE's special representative in the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine Martin Sajdik on Wednesday expressed concern about the situation in eastern Ukraine, local media reported.
The current escalation of hostilities between the conflicting parties in Donbas in east Ukraine made a negative impact on the Minsk process, Sajdik said following the Trilateral Contact Group meeting in Minsk.
The Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine is a group of representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that was formed to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the war in the Donbas region.
Sajdik stressed that the recent events intensified tensions between the parties and had an unambiguously negative effect on the process of mutual rapprochement and economic cooperation.
Sajdik said that the security was among top issues during this meeting. The parties discussed the cease-fire regime, the implementation of the agreement on the removal of heavy weapons, protection of civilians and vital infrastructure facilities. The working group also discussed the blockade of railroads among the main issues.
In addition, the topic of the so-called external management of the Ukrainian enterprises of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics was considered, it is still unresolved, Sajdik added.
The next meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine will be held on March 29.
