Moldovan president has meeting with OSCE Secretary General

Chisinau, 18 September /MOLDPRES/ - President Igor Dodon has had a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, on a visit to Moldova, the presidential press service has reported.  

The officials considered more subjects on the domestic process of strengthening the democracy, Transnistrian problem settlement, as well as OSCE’s assistance in the process of withdrawal and destruction of the Russian ammunitions from Transnistria.

Igor Dodon welcomed the presence of the high official in Moldova. He stressed that the OSCE, in its capacity of mediator, was a key partner of Moldova in the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, as well as in the providing of assistance and expertise needed in the sectors dealing with the human rights, rule of law state and civil society.

At the same time, the Moldovan president hailed the commitment of Slovakia, which holds the OSCE chairmanship, to give priority to the prevention, mediation and attenuation of frozen conflicts. Dodon thanked for willingness to organize a meeting of the participants in the five-plus-two negotiations in next October.

The head of state informed about the policy of “small steps” and progress made on six problems of the package of eight items, proposed by the presidential institution in 2017 and the Berlin Protocol, signed in 2016. According to Dodon, a significant success in the concerned field can be regarded the fact that, starting from 16 September, Moldovan officials can freely go to the Transnistrian region on private visits.   

Also, Igor Dodon described the Russian side’s initiative to re-start the process of destruction of ammunitions stocked in the Colbasna settlement as quite welcome and a good step in the context of the political settlement of the Transnistrian problem.

The Moldovan president also voiced hope that, under the aegis of OSCE, this process could be carried out in a short period and with maximum of efficiency.