Moldova sees no preconditions for adopting decisions on Transdniestria - PM
CHISINAU. Oct 2 (Interfax) - Moldova will not sign any documents harming its national interests during the next round of negotiations on the Transdniestria conflict planned in Bratislava next week, Moldovan Prime Minister Maia Sandu said.
"We welcome the holding of a negotiating round in the 5+2 format. There are no proper conditions now for making decisions on the Transdniestria settlement. Moldova and its official representatives will not sign any documents and obligations going against the country's national interests," Sandu told journalists following a government meeting on Wednesday.
Asked whether the negotiating parties in Bratislava could sign a document providing for "the establishment of two separate legal entities within a single state," Sandu said: "No projects exist on this point."
The 5+2 format implies negotiations between Moldova and Transdniestria as the parties to the conflict, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine as mediators, and the European Union and the United States as observers.
Sandu said she had repeatedly discussed a Transdniestria settlement process with Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Vasilii Sova and European officials.
"A political solution is possible only if Moldova's territorial integrity is preserved. Unfortunately, there are no internal and external preconditions for an immediate solution now. All that we can do is fight corruption schemes and smuggling via the Transdniestrian region. I hope we will sign protocols with Ukraine in the near future to increase the number of joint control checkpoints on the border," she said.
Sandu said she opposed "Moldova's federalization."
"And besides, this is impossible without support from the parliamentary majority, a majority which does not exist on this matter. Moreover, this is also impossible as most of the citizens are against federalization," she said.
The participants in the 3+2 format (Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE plus observers from the U.S. and the European Union) held talks in Chisinau and Tiraspol in early July. The parties agreed that it was reasonable to resume negotiations in the 5+2 format, which have not been held since November 2018. The first round of the 5+2 negotiations this year will be held on October 9-10 in Slovakia, which is currently holding the OSCE presidency.