As previously announced, today Kieiv has seen opening of the final meeting of the Permanent Conference under Ukrainian OSCE Chairmanship. The meeting is being held with the participation of representatives of the parties, mediators and observers in the negotiation process.
In her address, Political Representative from Pridnestrovie Nina Shtanski thanked Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador-at-Large Andrei Deshchitsa for efforts to maintain dynamics of the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova, and also marked overall efficiency of the Ukrainian Chairmanship. “Let's bear in mind that this year Ukrainian Chairmanship has retained negotiation process in conditions of quite a long internal political crisis of Moldova. Today all that is left behind and we can voice openly that, in the opinion of the Pridnestrovian side, the talks have been more than once within a hair's breadth of breakdown. I think that greatest achievement of the Ukrainian diplomacy is that we were kept operational,” Nina Shtanski told.
According to the Minister, Pridnestrovian delegation has made significant efforts to ensure that this round of negotiations is productive. “With so many practical documents on our tables, we feel that our Moldovan colleagues and we simply have no right to leave Ukrainian Chairmanship without drawing some kind of summarizing line of the overall work which has been done over the year and to round off our two day's meeting without good outcome,” says Nina Shtanski. She noted that all initiatives, starting with the “pension protocol” and ending with draft documents on interaction between transport agents, lifting of administrative barriers, were submitted to the 5+2 participants beforehand. The Minister also expressed hope for further discussions of the joint request to the European Union which the sides failed to agree upon. “I am sure, today we will find a consensus. At least, we will come closer to a common understanding,” head of Pridnestrovian foreign office told.
Nina Shtanski stated, “Well-being of people depends on the political will demonstrated at the table of negotiations. And I am repeating this seemingly trivial expression not for effect but only because so many unresolved socio-economic issues have accumulated between the sides to the conflict that they greatly complicate lives of people who every two months are watching with interest what we will agree upon here”.
She especially stressed that small steps tactics proclaimed by leaders of Pridnestrovie and Moldova in Odessa in 2012, opens up great opportunities for the solution of a whole range of accumulated problems between Tiraspol and Kishinev, and not to use it is “unaffordable luxury”. “At a high-level meeting in Odessa an approach was elaborated which was common for the sides at that stage. I hope, at this stage it will remain our common approach as well, moreover that all 5+2 participants are unanimous in approving the small steps tactics. Mr. Kozhara also noted this in his speech at Bavarian Conference on Confidence Building in Landshut,” Nina Shtanski reminded.
Commenting on the agenda of this round of negotiations, head of the Pridnestrovian MFA declared that its content is inadmissible. Pridnestrovian side sent its reasons to all 5+2 participants beforehand. “Based on the approach previously voiced by Ukraine, we assume that only those issues can be discussed at the meetings which both sides are willing to deal with. Fortunately, in our today's meeting we have such issues,” Nina Shtanski assured. She also stated that Pridnestrovian side is not intended to tackle issues from the “third basket” while there are still many issues between Pridnestrovie and Moldova which have not been resolved yet. In particular, Nina Shtanski paid attention to the number of socio-economic issues the discussion of which is paramount.
In this context, head of the Pridnestrovian diplomacy also marked that considering issues of the free trade area between Moldova and the European Union within 5+2 is also inadmissible. “First, integration process of Moldova with the European Union is an exceptional sovereign matter of Moldova. It is in no way related to relations between Pridnestrovie and Moldova – moreover, it is not part of our negotiation space. Besides, as far back as in Landshut during the Conference on Confidence Building, President of Pridnestrovie Yevgeny Shevchuk communicating with Ukrainian Chairmanship and representatives of German Government, as well as with Moldovan Prime Minister Leanca, didn't support this initiative of the Moldovan side,” the Minister stated.
During her speech, Nina Shtanski also touched on activity of the OSCE Mission on the territory of Pridnestrovie. As the Minister marked, she familiarized herself with the report by Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Jennifer Brush and concluded that information set out in the report doesn't correspond to the reality. Nina Shtanski assured Andrei Deshchitsa that activity of the OSCE Mission carried out in Pridnestrovie hadn't been subjected to any restrictions. “Yes, indeed, there are problems in interaction between Mission and Pridnestrovie, and this is exactly the case when I can state that activity of the Mission in relation to Pridnestrovie is becoming less successful, in my view, than it has ever been in 23 years. I express my regret in this regard,” Nina Shtanski said.
Concluding her speech, PMR's Foreign Minister noted that despite existing obstacles Pridnestrovian delegation is ready for substantive work. “I hope very much that we will manage to make our memories of this beautiful and hospitable city be supported by memories of concrete documents being signed,” Nina Shtanski concluded.
