On July 12-13, 2012, Vienna saw a regular round of negotiations in the 5+2 format, a fourth one after resumption of the official work.
After a hiatus of six years, the sides and mediators of the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the Pridnestrovian Settlement Negotiation Process in the 5+2 format have for the first time signed a Protocol of the Meeting, by virtue of which agreements reached in the course of the previous round were given legal force.
Thus, the Protocol of the Meeting reaffirmed current status of each participant of negotiations fixed in the course of the meeting of mediators of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE with representatives of the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie (Odessa, September 26-27, 2005) and in its annex “Rights and Obligations of Observers in the Negotiating Process”.
After various readings of the document “Principles and Procedures of Carrying out Negotiations in the Framework of the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the Pridnestrovian Settlement Negotiation Process”, and discussions resulted from the given situation, the sides and mediators fixed commitment to agreed wordings of agreements having signed the corresponding protocol.
Also, the Protocol of the Meeting adopts Agenda of Official Negotiation Process, agreed on April 17-18, in Vienna, which consists of three “baskets” including “socio-economic issues”, “general legal and humanitarian issues and human rights”, “comprehensive settlement, including institutional and political matters and security issues”. According to approved Agenda, the third basket contrary to others is to date not filled with substantive content and issues for discussions.
In the course of the meeting, socio-economic issues of the first basket were discussed. In particular, creating conditions to ensure free movement of people, goods and services was considered. The sides read out reports on current situation and listened to recommendations of the participants of the 5+2 format. Thus, there was approval on the need of practical implementation of provisions of Protocols of Meetings of Expert (Working) Groups on Transport and Road Infrastructure Development from 14th of April 2010, 22nd of March 2011, and 5th of July 2012 in the context of finalizing the procedure of issuance of permits for regular/irregular passenger transportations by motor vehicles to Pridnestrovie.
The sides agreed to activate work on resumption of traditional railway passenger routes through the territory of Pridnestrovie in directions of Rostov, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Chernivtsi, etc. on the basis of agreements of working (expert) groups on joint development of railway transportation and communications and on the basis of Joint Communiqué of June 20, 2012.
It was proposed to initiate consultations on expert level on issue of removing restrictions of border crossing of the Republic of Moldova by citizens of Pridnestrovie with Russian and Ukrainian citizenship.
The sides reached consensus on the necessity to specify and confirm corresponding changes in technological organization of railway and freight transportations through the territory of Pridnestrovie in order to exclude possible delays and obstacles for loading and unloading procedures on railway stations Rybnitsa and Bendery-2.
In addition issues of education have been discussed. Based on the results of the reports made by the political representatives, the participants welcomed continuation of work on resolving issues connected with recognition of education certificates.
Situation around the schools with Moldovan language education based on Latin script was also discussed. In this context the efforts of representatives of international organizations, which are currently monitoring situation with special groups, were highly estimated. Political representatives of the sides expressed their readiness to promote activation of work of expert (working) groups on issues of education taking into account recommendations which are to be worked out by international experts. Pridnestrovian side confirmed its readiness to register these schools in Pridnestrovie under simplified procedure.
Following the results of work of the meeting video-briefing took place for Moldovan and Pridnestrovian journalists in the course of which political representatives of the sides told about the results of their work.
