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Ukrainian rebels agree to more peace talks Ukrainian rebels agree to more peace talks
(35 minutes later)
Ukrainian separatist rebels are reported to have agreed to take part in further peace talks on Friday to end the conflict in the country's eastern regions.Ukrainian separatist rebels are reported to have agreed to take part in further peace talks on Friday to end the conflict in the country's eastern regions.
"There is an agreement to hold a round of consultations on June 27 in Donetsk," Andrei Purgin, a senior figure in the leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people's republic, was on Thursday quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency. "There is an agreement to hold a round of consultations on June 27 in Donetsk," Andrei Purgin, a senior figure in the leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people's republic, was on Thursday quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.
Earlier, in Strasbourg, the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said he had just heard of the rebels' readiness to meet again with the so-called contact group, which includes the former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, Moscow's envoy to Kiev and a high-ranking official from the OSCE security and rights watchdog. Earlier, in Strasbourg, the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said he had just heard of the rebels' readiness to meet again with the so-called contact group, which includes the former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, Moscow's envoy to Kiev and a high-ranking official from the OSCE security and rights watchdog.
But Ukrainian media quoted him as hinting heavily that there would be no extension of a government ceasefire, which officially ends at 10pm on Friday, unless Kiev was satisfied with the results of Friday's talks.But Ukrainian media quoted him as hinting heavily that there would be no extension of a government ceasefire, which officially ends at 10pm on Friday, unless Kiev was satisfied with the results of Friday's talks.
"It [Friday] is a very important day," he was quoted as saying by the Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper."It [Friday] is a very important day," he was quoted as saying by the Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper.
"If our conditions for the peace plan are not accepted, then we will make a very important decision." Poroshenko, who was speaking at the Council of Europe on Thursday and will sign a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union in Brussels on Friday, has offered rebel fighters an amnesty and safe conduct out of the country if they lay down their arms and cease hostilities. He is also offering to people in the mainly Russian-speaking east broader Russian-language rights and will next week present a decentralisation plan aimed at allowing the regions more control over their own finances and affairs. "If our conditions for the peace plan are not accepted, then we will make a very important decision." Poroshenko, who was speaking at the Council of Europe on Thursday and will sign a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union in Brussels on Friday, has offered rebel fighters an amnesty and safe conduct out of the country if they lay down their arms and cease hostilities. He is also offering people in the mainly Russian-speaking east broader Russian-language rights and will next week present a decentralisation plan aimed at allowing the regions more control over their own finances and affairs.