Self-rule granted to parts of Eastern Ukraine

The National Parliament of Ukraine has voted to grant self-rule to parts of eastern regions held by pro-Russian rebels. Rebel fighters have also been granted an amnesty.

These measures are in keeping with the ceasefire agreement signed by President Petro Poroshenko on September 5.

The European and Ukrainian parliaments also voted to ratify a major EU-Ukraine association agreement.

The pro-Russian rebels have been battling Ukrainian government forces since their seizure of a number of towns in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in April.

At least 3,000 people have been killed in the five-month conflict and more than 310,000 internally displaced in Ukraine, the UN says.

The amnesty affects rebels in the eastern regions, but does not cover the shooting down of the MH17 passenger plane in July. All 298 people on board died.

Western leaders believe rebels shot down the Malaysia Airlines jet with a Russian missile - a charge the rebels and Russia deny. Rebels accused of other "grave" crimes will not be covered by the new amnesty either.

The EU-Ukraine agreement, ratified on Tuesday, lies at the root of Ukraine's crisis.

SOURCE: BBC