Decision on registration of Transnistrian vehicles with "neutral plates" welcomed at OSCE Permanent Council

Chisinau, 4 May /MOLDPRES/ - Developments and expectations in the process of negotiations for the Transnistrian conflict settlement have been considered at a recent meeting at the OSCE Permanent Council. Moldova’s Resident Representative at OSCE Victor Osipov unveiled details on the protocol decision signed on 24 April 2018 and its importance for the reintegration policies promoted by Chisinau, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.     

At the meeting, Victor Osipov said that, also till present, the right to participate in the international road traffic had been guaranteed for private persons and legal entities from Transnistrian region, who were legally registering their transport units in Moldova. Yet, the Tiraspol administration created artificial obstacles, thus discouraging the registration on common bases. Proceeding from this, the Moldovan authorities provided a compromise mechanism, so that all residents from the left bank of Dniester have possibility to move in the international road traffic.   

Ambassador Osipov noted that the positive dynamic should lead the process of talks to its main goal: political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict based on the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Moldova in its internationally recognized borders, by providing a special status to the Transnistrian region.  

The chairman-in-office of the OSCE Permanent Council on behalf of Italy, Angelino Alfano, highlighted the progress in negotiations achieved by representatives of Chisinau and Tiraspol, noting that a new round in the five-plus-two format would be convened in Rome in the near future.    

The European Union’s Delegation to OSCE welcomed the protocol decision on the participation of the vehicles from Transnistrian in the international road traffic. EU positively appreciated the fulfillment of the commitments in the process of settlement of the Transnistrian conflict in the 5+2 format, taken back during the German OSCE chairmanship in 2016.   

The Delegation of the United States congratulated the participants in the 5+2 format for reaching an agreement on the participation of the vehicles from the Transnistrian region in the international road traffic. The USA stressed that the goal of the conflict’s political settlement can be achieved too; yet, it requires a sustained commitment and political courage on behalf of all sides involved.     

Ukraine’s Permanent Mission at OSCE described the decision as a step towards improving the living of Moldova’s residents, including from the Transnistrian region, as well as to confidence building. Ukraine voiced hope that the next meeting of the international format of talks would approach not only social and economic issues, but also key aspects of the political aspects. Ukraine reiterated the need to turn the present peacekeeping operation into a civilian one and complete the withdrawal of Russia’s military forces from Moldova.    

For its part, Russia’s delegation to OSCE hailed the concerned protocol decision and resumed a proposal to work out a mechanism of implementing the agreements reached in the 5+2 format, which is to be fixed in the national legislative framework (of Moldova). Along with other international mediators, Russia committed to contribute to the advancement of negotiations to identify a stable, fair and comprehensive solution to the Transnistrian problem.  

All delegations which took the floor at the Permanent Council on the topic of developments in the talks on the Transnistrian issue settlement expressed support for the efforts of Chisinau and Tiraspol, OSCE Mission in Moldova and Italy’s OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office.