Kiev, Rebels Sign Peace Plan Memorandum

Local Editor

Ukraine's government and pro-Russia rebels have agreed a memorandum on a peace plan for the eastern conflict.

The deal includes setting up a 30km buffer zone, a ban on overflights of part of eastern Ukraine by military aircraft and the withdrawal of "foreign mercenaries" on both sides.

The agreement was announced at talks in the Belarusian capital Minsk, where a ceasefire was agreed two weeks ago.

More than 3,000 have died in fighting in two eastern regions since April.

The original ceasefire agreed on 5 September has been frequently violated but is still holding.

The deal was reached after late-night talks between representatives of Ukraine, Russia, eastern separatists and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE].

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, representing Kiev at the talks, said that all sides had agreed to move back some of their heavy weapons.
"Heavy artillery will be moved 15km away from the front line" he said.

He added that the deal would be implemented within 24 hours and monitors from the OSCE would travel to the buffer zone to check for compliance.
Separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko said that the two sides did not discuss the status of the rebel-held areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.

"We have our opinion on it while Ukraine has its own," he said.

Russian ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov, representing Moscow at the talks, said that "mercenaries" were fighting on both sides, and called on OSCE to oversee their removal.

Russia has repeatedly said that any of its citizens fighting alongside separatists in Ukraine are doing so in a private capacity.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team