12 Jul 2019 19:25

Participants in 5+2 format in Chisinau, Tiraspol discuss preparations for talks on Transdniestria

CHISINAU/TIRASPOL. July 12 (Interfax) - Representatives of the mediators and observers in the 5+2 format have discussed the resumption of negotiations on the Transdniestrian settlement, the press service for the Bureau for Reintegration at the Moldovan government said.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Vasilii Sova received the delegation headed by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Franco Frattini, in Chisinau.

"This meeting is a follow-up to the dialogue on the Transdniestrian issues after working meetings in the same format with the president and the prime minister of Moldova. Discussions were focused on achievements in the implementation of the agreed obligations. The parties also discussed telecommunications, free travel and the conditions of the activities of the schools teaching in the Romanian language in Transdniestria," the press service said.

The deputy prime minister noted a number of Chisinau's priorities in the negotiating process. In particular, they are humanitarian aspects, unimpeded movement of citizens between the Dniester River's banks and the creation of the united economic area.

In addition, Sova requested that the mediators and observers back the implementation of major infrastructure projects that would facilitate trade between the banks of the Dniester River, in particular, the resumption of financing the restoration of the Chisinau-Tiraspol-Kurchurhan national motorway.

Representatives of the delegation also met with Moldovan President Igor Dodon and Prime Minister Maia Sandu.

The mediators and observers delegation held talks with Vadim Krasnoselsky, the president of the unrecognized Trasndniestrian Moldovan Republic and Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev in Tiraspol.

They discussed issues between Tiraspol and Moldova in the legal and banking sector, post, freedom of movement and cargo at a meeting.

Krasnoselsky noted that the republic has foreign trade ties with 90 countries and almost a third of Transdniestrian export and 10% of import are a result of business contacts with Moldova. At the same time, Transdniestrian entrepreneurs are not allowed to open accounts in Moldovan banks.

Frattini, for his part, said he hopes that the dialogue between the parties to the conflict would continue at various levels and that a meeting in the 5+2 format would be organized soon.

A meeting in Bavaria in November may be the next stage, where parties are to discuss the most pressing issues. This political event will precede the dialogue at the level of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers slated for December.

As reported, last week, head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Claus Neukirch and Russian representative to the 5+2 format, Foreign Ministry's Ambassador at Large Sergei Gubarev called for resuming regular talks in the 5+2 format last week. The first round of this year is possible in September.

The 5+2 format envisages participation of Moldova and Transdniestria as the parties to the conflict, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine as the mediators, and the European Union and the United States as the observers.