OSCE special representative convinced of resumption of five plus two negotiations in near future

Chisinau, 11 May /MOLDPRES/- Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Balan today met Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transnistrian Settlement Process Cord Meier-Klodt, who is on a working visit to Moldova, the Bureau for Reintegration has reported.

Attending the event was also Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Michael Scanlan.

The meeting was aimed at estimating the current situation in the Transnistrian conflict settlement, setting new goals for short and medium term to solve the most stringent problems faced by the people from the region and at the same time, to exchange opinions about eventual solutions to them.

In the context, Balan made a review on the current situation, especially referring to the issues discussed at the working meetings of the political representatives in negotiations from Chisinau and Tiraspol, held in 2016 in presence of the representatives of mediators and observers within the five plus two negotiations.

The sides highlighted the positive achievements, recorded by the sectorial working groups in the ecology and education sectors, pointing out the importance for optimizing interaction at the level of experts in the telecommunications, auto transport etc.

The officials mentioned as an immediate priority continuation of negotiations in the five plus two format, representing the main dialogue platform for determining final parameters of the Transnistrian settlement, due to be set in a comprehensive document agreed and signed by all participants.

In the context, Balan noted that Chisinau was willing to participate without preconditions in the negotiations, and efforts to strengthening and optimizing the dialogue between the parties would be multiplied. Also, he stressed that in this respect, there was every support from the state authorities.

The officials expressed confidence that the parties would meet in Germany in the near future within a traditional conference on confidence building measures in Transnistrian conflict settlement, and would take important decisions meant to ensure advancing negotiations and support for settlement process.

The ambassador thanked the deputy premier for the constructive dialogue and appreciated the efforts taken by the Moldovan authorities on the matter.

(Editor L. Alcază)