​TRANSNISTRIA NEGOTIATION STAKEHOLDERS ARE FORMING FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE SUCCESSES – OSCE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE

A foundation for future success is being formed in the Transnistria settlement process lately. Such is the opinion of the Special Representative of the German OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transnistrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt, which he presented at a conclusive news conference held in Chisinau on Friday at the end of the diplomat’s 3-day visit to the Republic of Moldova.

Cord Meier-Klodt reminded that the participants in the 5+2 negotiating format [Moldova and Transnistria as the conflicting sides, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as international mediators and guarantors (5); and the European Union and the United States as observers (2)] met in Berlin last June 2-3 for the first time after a 2-year pause, and that that long-expected meeting was crowned with the signing of an important protocol.

“Its implementation is a task for the nearest period. The chief thing is not to stop in the resumed discussions but to convert them into practical deeds, and to start resolving the problems of the people living on the Dniester sides. We hope that the sides’ commitment to dialog, first and foremost Chisinau’s and Tiraspol’s commitment, will further strengthen after the forthcoming July conference in Bavaria. It has already become a traditional annual ground for informal and confidential communication”, said the German diplomat.

He formulated his task of a mediator to the talks as “a soonest-possible settlement of the Transnistrian conflict”.

“The negotiations must be filled with concrete deeds. Two environment protection protocols have already been signed pertaining to the Dniester River basin and to its resources. For the first time ever, the working group of Moldovan and Transnistrian law enforcement experts assembled for a meeting in Bendery city. In a few days, transport specialists will hold their working meeting. The working group on education issues has practically completed its work on apostilling of the diplomas issued by Transnistrian educational institutions”, said Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt and stressed that he is optimistic about the further relationship of the sides.