On March 14, 2012 the meeting between representatives on political issues in Pridnestrovien settlement process of Pridnestrovie and the Republic of Moldova Nina Shtanski and Evgeniy Karpov took place in the Bendery Office of the OSCE Mission in Moldova.
The questions of forthcoming resumption of work of the expert groups have been discussed during the meeting. The sides have agreed on conduction of joint meeting between heads of the expert groups and representatives of the Permanent Conference in extended format, which shall take place on March 19 in Tiraspol.
In the course of further work, the sides discussed the wide variety of matters in priority fields of cooperation, including the questions of restoration of full-scale postal and transport communication between Moldova and Pridnestrovie.
The problem of removal and utilization of ionizing radiation sources from the territory of the Pridnestrovien Moldavian Republic became separate topic of the dialogue. In the course of discussion the sides came to agreement on procedure of removal of radiation sources from the territory of the PMR. The sides have also agreed on the removal of the ionizing radiation sources from one of the Pridnestrovien industrial facilities. The whole procedure shall take place on March 15 with the assistance of the OSCE. The materials shall be passed to Moldovan side for securing their storage and utilization. This agreement has been consolidated by the protocol decision On the Order and Procedures of Removal of Ionizing Radiation Sources from the territory of Pridnestrovie which has been signed during the meeting. As Nina Shtanski noted, this decision can become basis for continuation of Pridnestrovien-Moldovan cooperation in this sphere.
As the head of Pridnestrovien MFA noted after the meeting, solution of this question is of great importance for us, as it concerns the health of the people and radiation security. Nuclear waste disposal and utilization is not possible because of lack of suitable special objects. The nearest of them are located on the territory of neighboring countries, – the diplomat explained.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR expressed hope that practical cooperation of Chisinau and Tiraspol in radiological sphere may become good example for solving urgent questions which can not be resolved unilaterally.
