While commenting on Ukraine’s demand for control at the Russian-Ukrainian border, the minister said that question "had never been agreed."

MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Donetsk and Lugansk will not agree to observing the Minsk peace agreements "in advance" until their special status is not set forth by the Ukrainian constitution, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Vesti on Saturday weekly television program. While commenting on Ukraine’s demand for control at the Russian-Ukrainian border, the minister said that question "had never been agreed." "Ukrainians insist on this all the time. But we have told them many times as long as amnesty is not in place, as long as there is no law on the special status, which could truly guarantee additional rights to those territories, for as long as those rights are not set forth in a special status permanently by the Ukrainian constitution - it would be complicated to hope Donetsk and Lugansk could agree to fulfil "in advance" what is stipulated by the Minsk agreements to finalize the political process, not to be a precondition for it," the Russian foreign minister said. Russia ready to agree the OSCE’s additional group of monitors in Donbass carries guns for self-defense Russia ready to agree the OSCE’s additional group of monitors in Donbass carries guns for self-defense, Russia’s Foreign Minister said.

"We have said we shall be ready, should it favor the process, to agree OSCE decides that additional group of monitors, which will control the line of engagement and the storage of heavy weapons, will have the right to carry personal guns," Lavrov said. "Pistols for self-defense," the minister said in response to a specifying question. Minsk agreements Russia sees the U.S. has been increasing the pressure to have Kiev observe the Minsk agreements, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Vesti on Saturday weekly television program.

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