"HOW MANY ANGELS CAN DANCE ON THE HEAD OF A PIN?" - COMMENT BY THE INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT OF THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REGARDING THE PRIDNESTROVIAN STATUS AS VIEWED BY THE MOLDOVAN SIDE

In yesterday's comment the Information and Press Department of the Russia's MFA assessed a number of statements made by Mr. Karpov in his interview to the Moldavian TV channel UNIMEDIA, as well as shared its “mixed feelings” caused by a fairly detailed coverage of positions held by the participants in talks on the part of Moldova's representative in the negotiation process.

In particular, the Comment notes that Moldova has already decided upon the political future of Pridnestrovie for itself having almost unanimously adopted the Law on the Main Provisions of the Special Legal Status of Communities on the Left Bank of the Dniester (Pridnestrovie) on July 22, 2005, and from the point of view of Russia's MFA to ignore this fact is a simple slyness. In fact, as it is stated in the Comment, Moldova simply ignored opinion of Tiraspol by adopting the given law.

“Appeals of Moldovan partners to “imagine that there is no such a law” cannot find a desirable response. In conditions, when one party has already decided the problem for itself, any discussions on the topic remind of the disputes between medieval scholars about the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin,” the Comment reads.

Besides, the idea of changing the status of the EU and the United States in negotiations from observers to mediators caused unequivocal response from Russia's MFA. In this context, Russian colleagues reminded that the format of negotiations of the Permanent Conference has its own internal philosophy, based on which “a viable solution may be found by equal parties to the conflict – Moldova and Pridnestrovie”. “All the other participants in talks can do nothing but contribute to this search and guarantee that compromises reached are implemented,” the website of Russia's MFA reads.

“Is the time right to discuss problems of “prestige” and shape rather than content?” the Information and Press Department of Russia's MFA raises a rhetorical question with a view to debates about status of the Republic held when contacts between the parties “are only starting to bring the first fruits”.

The PMR's MFA shares an approach of the Russian side, a guarantor in the Moldo-Pridnestrovian settlement which attaches genuine attention to media aspects of the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova. In current situation around Pridnestrovie, this approach deserves support and approval by all participants of the 5+2 format.