Missing persons during the conflict in Ukraine

Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 14004 | 21 March 2016

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1251st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (15-16 March 2016). 2016 - Second part-session

Reply to Recommendation

: Recommendation 2076 (2015)

1. The Committee of Ministers is deeply concerned about the issue of persons who have gone missing during the conflict in Ukraine. The lack of information concerning these individuals is causing unbearable distress for their families and friends. It is also creating tension between the parties to the conflict, and in so doing hindering the reconciliation process.

2. The Committee of Ministers notes that the measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements include the release and exchange of all hostages and unlawfully detained persons. In this context, it further recalls that, on 15 April 2015, it called upon “all parties concerned to strictly respect the Minsk Agreements, including the “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements” of 12 February 2015, and to take the necessary further steps for their swift and full implementation, in particular as regards respect for the ceasefire, the organisation of local elections and the release of hostages and illegally detained persons”.

3. The Committee of Ministers considers that the working subgroup on humanitarian issues of the Trilateral Contact Group, whose tasks include dealing with the issue of missing persons in co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, is the appropriate format for achieving positive results in this regard.

4. The Committee of Ministers is willing to consider the possibility of including activities regarding assistance to deal with the psychological effects on the families of missing persons in the existing Action Plan for Ukraine.