Representatives of OSCE, Moldova discuss topical subjects on Transnistrian settlement process

Chisinau, 24 May /MOLDPRES/ - Special Representative of OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office for Transnistrian Settlement Process on behalf of Austria Wolf Dietrich Heim and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Moldova’s political representative Gheorghe Balan discussed topical subjects on the Transnistrian settlement process today.   

The two officials specified that the agenda comprised the sectors of education, telecommunications and transports.

According to Gheorghe Balan, the visits by the OSCE special representative would boost the dialogue of the political representatives and sectoral working groups. “We hope that these visits will contribute to the improvement of the relations with Tiraspol and the settlement of the issues included on the agenda, so that subsequently, based on the results achieved, a new round of five-plus-two negotiations be organized. Presently, the working groups work efficiently; nevertheless, the political representative on behalf of the Transnistrian region avoids contact with the one of Chisinau. We hope that the stagnation of the relations on behalf of Tiraspol be overcome and we switch to the settlement of the problems of the citizens from both banks of Dniester,” Gheorghe Balan said.         

For his part, Wolf Dietrich Heim noted that the discussion with Moldova’s representative had been productive. “Tomorrow, I will pay a visit to Tiraspol, where I will have a meeting with the political representative on behalf of the Transnistrian region, Vitaly Ignatyev. We expect regular meetings at the level of the working groups in the one-plus-one format, which will lead to achieving concrete results, that will be at the basis of the next five-plus-two meeting. Almost one year has passed since the Berlin meeting; I hope that, along with our interlocutors, we will focus on the earlier set subjects, in order to carry out the issues of that protocol,” Wolf Dietrich Heim said.    

The OSCE special representative for Transnistrian settlement, Wolf Dietrich Heim, is on an official visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol on 24-25 May. Also, within the visit, the Austrian official is to have meetings with the ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine (mediators), as well as of the European Union and the United States (observers).   

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Raileanu)