Moldovan deputy premier meets OSCE chairmanship's special representative

Chisinau, 23 March /MOLDPRES/ – Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Balan had a meeting with OSCE Chairmanship Special Representative for the Transnistrian conflict settlement, Ambassador Wolf Dietrich Heim, accompanied by Ambassador Michael Scanlan, Head of OSCE Mission and other OSCE diplomats, the office for reintegration policies’ press service has reported.

The officials reviewed the main developments in the Transnistrian issue, addressed current topics appearing on the agenda and exchanged their views on prospects for advancement process, during the meeting.

Deputy premier Gheorghe Balan said he would maintain functional all existing dialogue platforms, actively interact with all international partners to drive the negotiation process and achieve substantial results for the benefit of people on both banks.

Similarly, Gheorghe Balan stressed that the efforts of Moldovan authorities are directed towards ensuring continuity of work in the format "5+2", which is the basic platform for finding a political solution to the Transnistrian conflict, while respecting Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the goal of reintegration and determining the legal status of the region. It was noted that in further on round of this format, in addition to the topics reflected in the Protocol of Berlin, to be discussed some other major issues also requiring immediate resolution:

- elimination of artificial obstacles to the free movement of people, goods and services between the two banks of the Dniester;

- enabling normal conditions for schools in Transnistria with Latin script teaching;

- Dubasari farmers' access to agricultural lands located beyond the Tiraspol-Ribnita road;

- opening of a bridge over the river Dniester between Gura Bicului and Bicioc localities.

It also expressed its intention to initiate in the near traditional Bavarian conference entitled "confidence-building measures in the Transnistrian settlement process" to assess developments in Chisinau-Tiraspol dialogue and to boost process.

Another topic discussed was the establishment of joint control at the Moldovan – Ukrainian border on the central segment (Transnistrian) thereof as remarkable advantages and benefits for the population and economic entities from the left bank of the Dniester.

After the meeting ending, the officials held a press briefing.