Moldovan official, Tiraspol’s political representative discuss Transnistrian conflict settlement

Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov and Tiraspol’s political representative in the Transnistrian conflict’s settlement, Nina Shtanski, held a meeting at the headquarters of the Ukrainian embassy in Chisinau on 29 January. Attending the meeting were also representatives of mediators and observers within the five-plus-two format negotiations, according to a press release by the Bureau for Reintegration.

Carpov welcomed Ukraine’s turn to hold the OSCE chairmanship in 2013, voicing hope that Ukraine will further be Moldova’s faithful partner in the Transnistrian conflict’s settlement process. Also Carpov has highly welcomed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara’s visit to Moldova, during which officials agreed that all partners should take joint efforts in order to boost up five-plus-two format negotiations.

The officials have focused on the preparations for the next round of five-plus-two format negotiations, due in Lviv, Ukraine, in 2013. The officials have also discussed the opportunity to organise a meeting of Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat and Transnistrian leader Yevgeniy Shevchuk.

During the meeting, the officials discussed the settlement of current social and economic problems, urging economic agents and residents from both banks of the Dniestre to participate in this process.

Touching upon technical subjects of the economic sector, Carpov reiterated the creation of a single interaction platform, which was previously suggested to Tiraspol. «The creation of a single economic space on both banks of the Dniestre is considered to be an important part of the Transnistrian conflict’s settlement, which would facilitate the settlement of various technical issues that both Moldovan and Transnistrian economic agents are facing,» Carpov said.

The political representatives have also examined a document providing for initial measures to ensure the free movement. In the context of confidence-building measures between Chisinau and Tiraspol, both sides agreed on the need to ensure this right. In this respect, the officials discussed the creation of a database for Transnistrian vehicles and their number plates, which would comply with international standards and requirements. The participants in the meeting agreed that Moldovan and Transnistrian experts would elaborate a technical collaboration mechanism.

At the end of the meeting, international partners voiced their availability to back the enhancement of the Moldovan-Transnistrian dialogue on relevant issues.

Adapted from Moldpres