Political representatives in Transnistrian settlement process meet in Tiraspol

Chisinau, 8 February /MOLDPRES/- The political representatives in the Transnistrian settlement process on behalf of Chisinau and Tiraspol, Gheorghe Balan and Vitaly Ignatiev, had a working meeting at the OSCE Mission to Tiraspol on 7 February. Attending the event were representatives of OSCE Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, the Bureau for Reintegration has reported.

The sides expressed willingness to reactivate all platforms of existing dialogue by boosting constructive efforts, depoliticizing social-economic and humanitarian issues, transmitting positive impulses for the activity of working groups, conducting exchanges of interactive views on current issues on the agenda and agreeing on ways of solutions beneficial to people from both banks of the Dniestre.

The political representatives assessed the level of implementing the provisions of the protocol of official meeting of standing conference on political problems in Transnistrian settlement process of 3 June 2016. They confirmed willingness to continue talks at technical level and to reach reasonable approach.

Also, they expressed their stance to possible options for advancing the dialogue on the following issues:

-  Removing barriers to free movement of people, means of transport, goods and services,

-  Opening the bridge over the Dniestre river of Gura Bicului and Bicioc,

-  Issues related to implementation of provisions of the protocol decision on principles of plenary resuming freight train traffic through the Transnistrian region of 30 March 2012, the deadline for action of which has been recently extended until 31 December 2017,

-  Ensuring unhindered access of farmers from Dubasari to agricultural lands located along Tiraspol-Ribnita,

-  Implementation of project on discharge of hazardous chemicals accumulated in Tiraspol-based slaughterhouse (5 tons of ammonia),

-  Creation of conditions necessary for proper functioning of Latin-script schools in Transnistria.

At the same time, the sides pointed out the need to mobilize the potential of participants in the 5+2 negotiations to involve them in the process and determine viable draft decisions on issues that can be solved at the current stage. Chisinau and Tiraspol voiced openness in this respect.

At the end of the meeting, the political representatives held a news briefing.