PRESIDENT DODON MAINTAINS HE IS NOT NEGOTIATING TRANSNISTRIAN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT WITH RUSSIA

Moldova President Igor Dodon has refuted media stories that he is allegedly discussing with Russia a Transnistrian conflict settlement concept. Speaking on the local television on Thursday night, the head of state said that in the current political situation, one can hardly speak about such a concept.

“There are no secret negotiations. The Moldova federalization topic as a concept of conflict settlement has not been included into the settlement agenda and shall not be in the future. Any settlement formulas or a status for Transnistria, being discussed allegedly with Russia, are absolutely out of the question because such issues must be decided jointly and first and foremost in Chisinau. We in Moldova must first achieve a national consensus on the conflict settlement question and then talk with Tiraspol to persuade them to agree to a settlement concept. And only after that should we proceed to negotiations in a broad format with participation of international mediators and guarantors of the Transnistrian conflict settlement”, said the President.

Dodon reminded that during this week’s visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Ion Chicu discussed with his Russian colleague Dmitry Medvedev the question of disposal of the Russian ammunition stored in the Transnistrian region – approximately 20 thousand tons.

“It was decided that in the nearest future profiled specialists will start preparation for the disposal. This is a very important and difficult mission, bearing in mind that a part of the ammunition is not subject to Transnistrian, so it will be liquidated on the site”, said Dodon.

As was already reported by Infotag, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak stated last Wednesday following his negotiations with Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu in Moscow that the Transnistrian settlement question had been discussed only in very general terms.

He explained that the Chicu Government [appointed only on November 14] should be given some time to get settled.

“The new team needs stability. When this is achieved and when the Government acquires confidence about the future, then we may well return to discussing the very complicated, delicate and long-standing Transnistrian settlement problem”, said the Russian Deputy Premier.