E. Shevchuk, the President of Pridnestrovie, “Today we discussed with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine different aspects of the current situation in negotiation process and opportunities that will be opened for us in 2013. We hope that in 2013 under the support of the OSCE we could address a number of social and economic issues that were not settled in 2012.
We proceed from the assumption that arrangement of appropriate living conditions is the top of agenda for any negotiations and our goal. A human being shall be at the top of the goals that must be set to resolve the issues of the Moldovan- Pridnestrovian settlement. So, first of all, we will discuss the social and economic matters.
We do not provide for the consideration of political issues in the negotiating format. We regard that appropriate premises for discussion have not been determined at the moment.
We are intended to lead a constructive dialogue, to expand contacts with the guarantors and with our partners in Kishinev. I would like to express the hope that these contacts will lead to the development and adoption of mutually beneficial and mutually acceptable solutions in the socio-economic sphere affecting interests of people and economic agents. We are ready for such dialogue and will seek to achieve these compromises. I hope that in 2013 our partners in Kishinev would also work out constructive suggestions which could build the basis for agreements to remove obstacles and meet challenges that unfortunately exist today.
The next round of negotiations has been scheduled in February. Before the meeting in Lvov we would like negotiators to draft possible agreements for decision of matters concerning transport, freedom of movement and communications in order to approach the meeting in February having particular, mutually beneficial and acceptable proposals in the social and economic area. Pridnestrovie is ready to cooperate frankly and transparently. Pridnestrovian delegation will be aimed at this direction.
We hope that in 2013 the OSCE will carry out its mission as a mediator to arrange conditions for compromise. It is certainly to be noted that the Ukrainian party, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine try to give a positive momentum to the development of contacts with our partners. We appreciate it as an additional opportunity for mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial solutions. We will be attentive to the initiatives and we are ready to participate in negotiations. But we would like the position of the Pridnestrovian party to be taken into account within the negotiating format. We respect the position of our partners and we hope that the same respect will be demonstrated relating to the initiatives of the Pridnestrovian party.
Thus, mutual respect of opinions can be the basis for relevant mutually acceptable solutions. Once again I want to stress that a complex of social and economic issues shall be the priority of the agenda. In my opinion, there are good prospects for compromise”.
