(VOVworld) – The Trilateral Contact group of senior representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have agreed to assure safety for experts accessing the Malaysia MH 17 crash site.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked Belarus to host the trilateral talks to discuss access to the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine (Photo: Reuters)

According to a statement by the OSCE after a meeting in Minsk, Belarus on Thursday, it is necessary to assure safety for the experts who are investigating the reason for the MH 17 crash on July 17^th, which killed 298 people. The participants also agreed to release hostages arrested during the conflicts in eastern Ukraine, which is considered an important step toward a long-term ceasefire. They reached an agreement to control and supervise the border between Russia and Ukraine and establish a supervisory mechanism under the OSCE’s management after the ceasefire takes effect.