Moscow to analyze expedience of extending OSCE mission in Moldova - Ambassador Lukashevich

TIRASPOL. March 24 (Interfax) - Russia intends to analyze the expedience of extending the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Moldova in light of Moscow's concerns around the Transdniestrian conflict settlement, Russia's Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich told journalists on Thursday.

"We must analyze so as to determine how useful the OSCE Mission in Moldova is from the standpoint of both riverbanks of Dniester. The matter was addressed late last year. We had quite a few concerns regarding its work in accordance with the mandate," Lukashevich said in Tiraspol after an inspection trip to Moldova.

Russia could extend the "mandate by six months only (instead of the requested one year], given the current difficult situation in the Transdniestria settlement process and our concerns that we made utterly clear to the mission's leadership. Nevertheless, the leadership of the mission was replaced," he said.

"The next extension is due in late June," he said.

In Chisinau, Lukashevich held several meetings in the Moldovan government and at the OSCE Permanent Mission, and in Tiraspol he met with the Transdniestria administration.

For his part, after meeting with Lukashevich the leader of Transdniestria, Vadim Krasnoselsky said he was ready to continue talks with Chisinau in any format.

The OSCE current chairman, North Macedonia's foreign minister Bujar Osmani, who visited Moldova in mid-February, had suggested that the next round of 5+2 talks (involving Moldova, Transdniestria, Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE, plus European Union and United States as observers) be held in Skopje, Krasnoselsky said.

"We hail Mr. Osmani's idea. We are ready to continue the dialogue in any format, for the sake of peace upon Transdniestrian land. Peace is the foundation. One could meet in any format or convene some other format on security, regional security, common security, which would doubtless include Transdniestria," Krasnoselsky said.

At the March 22 meeting with the Russian delegation Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian said he hoped that, "Russia does not limit the mandate of the OSCE Mission in Moldova and continues to maintain the formula of a peaceful and definitive settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders."