Sitting of Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Policy and International Relations took place today in Supreme Soviet of the PMR. Foreign Minister of the PMR Vladimir Yastrebchak participated in it.
At the instance of parliamentarians, head of foreign office informed members of the Commission about the participation of Pridnestrovien delegation in another round of unofficial consultations in 5+2 format, which had taken place in Moscow on September 22. As Minister reminded, decision on resumption of official work of Constant Meeting on political issues in the network of negotiation process on Pridnestrovien settlement became the main result of meeting in Moscow. This decision was preceded by serious preliminary work. Its outcomes gave Tiraspol reasons to consider, that sufficient conditions were created to resume official consultations, Vladimir Yastrebchak noticed.
The participants of the sitting in Supreme Soviet considered draft law On Objectives and Principles of Negotiation Process with the Republic of Moldova, submitted to the Parliament as legislative initiative of the President of the PMR. Document has already been discussed by a number of Parliamentary comities. Submitting draft law to members of the Commission, Vladimir Yastrebchak marked, that necessity of adoption of such kind of law became ripe long ago. Its objective is to fix with lawmaking legislative, organizational, political and other foundations for negotiation with Kishinev. The document particularly states, that negotiation process is led by Moldova and Pridnestrovie “on the basis of mutual respect of sovereignty and independence” and is directed to final and just normalization of relations. Besides, implementation of will of Pridnestrovien people, expressed during nationwide referendums, and creation of conditions for final international recognition of statehood and independence of the Pridnestrovien Moldavian Republic, is among the objectives of the negotiation. “This law is oriented, in the first place, to internal needs, it is appealed to interpret the subject of our negotiation with Moldova to people of our republic,” Vladimir Yastrebchak marked.
Head of Commission on Foreign Policy and International Relations, Deputy Dmitriy Soin expressed his doubt in topicality of submitted draft law. According to the opinion of parliamentarian, Pridnestrovie already has legislative acts that define the objectives of negotiation, including Constitution of the PMR and Conception of Foreign Policy.
According to Minister, law On Objectives and Principles of Negotiation Process with the Republic of Moldova does not duplicate acting legislation. Besides it interpret the task of the process of negotiation to people, document concretizes objectives and powers of bodies of state power and Pridnestrovien officials, involved somehow in negotiation process. Topicality of such law especially increases now, in the light of the resumption of official work of 5+2 format. Vladimir Yastrebchak reminded, that Moldova has similar document, adopted in 2005, which defines goal and objectives of negotiators from Kishinev, and Tiraspol is to some extent late with corresponding initiative.
Position of Minister of Foreign Affairs was supported by member of the Commission, head of Committee on Legislation, Law Enforcement Bodies, Security, Defense, Protection of Rights and Freedoms of people Galina Antiufeeva. According to her, it is necessary to recommend draft law to adoption in first reading, in order to finish it off by the second reading according to proposals of Deputies.
Members of the Commission voiced no conceptual objections on the essence of the document. And with it, during the sitting, deputies expressed a number of doubts and remarks, connected with the draft law.
According to the results of voting, the majority of members of the Commission agreed with initiative of Dmitriy Soin, who suggested not to hasten with the adoption of the draft law in first reading. Deputies supported the idea on organization of Parliamentary hearings with involvement of international experts, where it is supposed to discuss draft law On Objectives and Principles of Negotiation Process with the Republic of Moldova.
During the interview to the representatives of Media, commenting upon this decision, Vladimir Yastrebchak marked, that no serious reasons, which may put obstacles to the adoption of draft law in first reading, were voiced on the meeting. “Those issues that were touched upon can be quite solved during the preparation for the second reading. But, since it was accepted to held Parliamentary hearings, our colleagues from the Supreme Soviet apparently have doubts on suitability of adoption of this law,” PMR's Foreign Minister said.
