Transdniestrian-Moldovan talks scheduled for Jan 16

TIRASPOL. Jan 12 (Interfax) - This year's first round of Transdniestrian settlement talks in the 1+1 format will take place next week, the Foreign Ministry of the unrecognized Transdniestrian Republic said on Friday.

"This year's first meeting of Moldovan and Transdniestrian representatives for political affairs will take place at the office of the OSCE mission in Tiraspol on the morning of January 16 in the presence of the talks' intermediaries and observers," the ministry said.

Transdniestria plans to highlight the problems experienced by regional enterprises "caused by Moldova's restrictions," the ministry said. For instance, Tiraspol hopes to discuss "the unfounded levying of customs duties on Transdniestrian economic actors and hindrances to the exports of Transdniestrian manufacturing enterprises and distilleries," it said.

In addition, Tiraspol "has initiated a discussion on importing medical diagnostic equipment to Transdniestria and the attempted levying of pollution taxes on Transdniestrian enterprises," the ministry said.

"The reopening of vehicle registration centers and a breach of the lawful right of Transdniestrian citizens to freedom of movement, including their return to places of permanent residence in the Transdniestrian Republic, will also be touched on," it said.

The Moldovan Reintegration Bureau confirmed that the meeting has been planned for Tuesday. Bureau representatives said earlier that they were planning to discuss Tiraspol's intention "to introduce additional restrictions on free passenger and cargo traffic."

Chisinau and Tiraspol's negotiators held several meetings in the 1+1 format last year. Transdniestrian Foreign Minister, chief negotiator Vitaly Ignatyev refused to visit Chisinau on several occasions. He explained his refusal in terms of Moldova's law on preventing separatism, which could lead to his arrest.

The Security Service of Ukraine said this week that Ignatyev was suspected of "collaborating with Russia and encroaching upon the territorial integrity of Ukraine." He was summoned to the service's branch in Vinnitsa "to be presented with a written notice of suspected crimes."