MINSK, 1 August (BelTA) - The three-party contact group (Ukraine-OSCE-Russia) set up to resolve the crisis in Ukraine met with representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in Minsk on 31 July. The group reached agreement on two main issues under discussion, i.e. to secure safe access to the Boeing crash site for international experts and an immediate release of people held hostage, runs the press release of the Foreign Ministry of Belarus on the results of the Minsk meeting on 31 July, BelTA has learned.

The three-party contact group comprising high-level officials of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE Current Chairman Office met with representatives of separatist groups from eastern Ukraine in Minsk on 31 July 2014.

The participants of the meeting discussed the situation with the Malaysian MH17 crash site. They hailed the news that a group of international observers and investigators got access to the site on 31 July. They agreed to secure safe access to the crash site for international experts during the investigation.

Apart from that, the contact group discussed the situation and hostages and other people detained during the conflict. As the first step the group agreed on an immediate release of a certain number of people held hostage.

The contact group reiterated that the release of hostages and other illegally held persons is an important step in securing mutual understanding and steady ceasefire. Besides, in their opinion, there is a need to set up a monitoring mechanism supported by the OSCE which would take effect simultaneously with the ceasefire, as well as an efficient control and verification of the border between Ukraine and Russia.

The participants of the talks agreed to hold another meeting next week.

As was reported, on 31 July Minsk hosted face-to-face consultations of the three-party talks of the 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 contact group included 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.

In a telephone conversation on 29 July Ukrainian President Piotr Poroshenko addressed Belarusian head of state Alexander Lukashenko with a request to host the Ukrainian crisis talks.