10/14/09
On October 13, 2009, a meeting was held in Tiraspol between PMR's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Yastrebchak and Ambassador at Large of the Russian MFA Valery Nesterushkin. The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister of the PMR Sergey Simonenko and Advisor and Envoy of the Russian Embassy in Moldova Vitaliy Tryapicin. The diplomats discussed prospects for Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement under present-day circumstances. Following the meeting, Vladimir Yastrebchak and Valery Nesterushkin answered questions of the journalists.
Valery Nesterushkin noted a regular and working character of the meeting. It was focused on the variants and ways of re-establishing normal working contacts that will foster solution of the problems that Pridnestrovian and Moldovan people are troubled with. Besides, the problem of resuming the negotiation process between Kishinev and Tiraspol was touched upon in the course of the conversation. Valery Nesterushkin noted that this work will have progress provided that it is tackled by “politicians enjoying corresponding authorities”. Touching on the prospects for restarting political consultations in the “5+2” format, the Russian diplomat said that the date offered earlier appeared to be unreal since the process of government formation in Kishinev has been protracted. Vladimir Yastrebchak marked that issue of restoring contacts between Tiraspol and Kishinev at expert groups' level is regarded to be most urgent at this stage. In this connection, he expressed his hope for the leadership of Moldovan expert groups to remain the same after the power vertical in Kishinev is established, so that earlier accords would be preserved. Valery Nesterushkin disagreed with journalists that issue of Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement is regarded by the new Moldovan leadership as issue of minor importance. In his words, Kishinev is sure to resume detailed consideration of the problems existing in relations with Tiraspol. In his turn, Vladimir Yastrebchak expressed his belief that changes in the composition of negotiators on the part of Moldova do not mean that Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement will become less important for Kishinev. He also noted that Tiraspol does not expect the new Moldovan negotiators to be less competent than their forerunners. “There is enough time for the new Moldovan political representative to get acquainted with the documents of the negotiation process,” told Vladimir Yastrebchak. Speaking about the demands of the new Moldovan authorities to withdraw Russian troops and peace-keepers from Pridnestrovie, Valery Nesterushkin marked that a great deal of various statements had been recently made in Kishinev, including those made during the CIS Summit. The diplomat urged not to put declarations and actions in the same row. He paid attention to the comments of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in which the head of the Russian Foreign Department recommended the new Moldovan leadership “to look into all the es of the situation in which the settlement process currently is.” “The new administration in Kishinev will study the documents, examine a real current situation and specify its declarations; as for us, we will take notice of practical steps,” said the diplomat. Valery Nesterushkin assumed that new authorities will return to pragmatic consideration of those issues which seem to them uncomfortable.
Answering the question about the perspectives of the “Kozak Memorandum” for adjusting relations between Kishinev and Tiraspol, Valery Nesterushkin marked that this document should not be completely dismissed. He emphasized that this document is a result of a team-work of Moldovan and Pridnestrovian politicians. “Today many constructions implemented in this document demand modernization, the question is what and how to make use of its accords, and it should be also found out during the negotiation process,” said the diplomat. At the same time, Vladimir Yastrebchak told that the “Kozak Memorandum” is an integral document with a complex system of restrains and counterbalance, as a result, it would be wrong “to extract” some of its stipulations. “Moldova and Pridnestrovie have drifted away from the “Kozak Memorandum”, but drifted in different directions. Pridnestrovie moved forward, having developed the principles written in this document concerning the non-use of pressure on one of the parties and insisting upon elaboration of the system of international guaranties; Moldova drew back, having returned to unitary approaches,” marked the Minister.
Valery Nesterushkin noted a regular and working character of the meeting. It was focused on the variants and ways of re-establishing normal working contacts that will foster solution of the problems that Pridnestrovian and Moldovan people are troubled with. Besides, the problem of resuming the negotiation process between Kishinev and Tiraspol was touched upon in the course of the conversation. Valery Nesterushkin noted that this work will have progress provided that it is tackled by “politicians enjoying corresponding authorities”. Touching on the prospects for restarting political consultations in the “5+2” format, the Russian diplomat said that the date offered earlier appeared to be unreal since the process of government formation in Kishinev has been protracted. Vladimir Yastrebchak marked that issue of restoring contacts between Tiraspol and Kishinev at expert groups' level is regarded to be most urgent at this stage. In this connection, he expressed his hope for the leadership of Moldovan expert groups to remain the same after the power vertical in Kishinev is established, so that earlier accords would be preserved. Valery Nesterushkin disagreed with journalists that issue of Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement is regarded by the new Moldovan leadership as issue of minor importance. In his words, Kishinev is sure to resume detailed consideration of the problems existing in relations with Tiraspol. In his turn, Vladimir Yastrebchak expressed his belief that changes in the composition of negotiators on the part of Moldova do not mean that Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement will become less important for Kishinev. He also noted that Tiraspol does not expect the new Moldovan negotiators to be less competent than their forerunners. “There is enough time for the new Moldovan political representative to get acquainted with the documents of the negotiation process,” told Vladimir Yastrebchak. Speaking about the demands of the new Moldovan authorities to withdraw Russian troops and peace-keepers from Pridnestrovie, Valery Nesterushkin marked that a great deal of various statements had been recently made in Kishinev, including those made during the CIS Summit. The diplomat urged not to put declarations and actions in the same row. He paid attention to the comments of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in which the head of the Russian Foreign Department recommended the new Moldovan leadership “to look into all the es of the situation in which the settlement process currently is.” “The new administration in Kishinev will study the documents, examine a real current situation and specify its declarations; as for us, we will take notice of practical steps,” said the diplomat. Valery Nesterushkin assumed that new authorities will return to pragmatic consideration of those issues which seem to them uncomfortable.
Answering the question about the perspectives of the “Kozak Memorandum” for adjusting relations between Kishinev and Tiraspol, Valery Nesterushkin marked that this document should not be completely dismissed. He emphasized that this document is a result of a team-work of Moldovan and Pridnestrovian politicians. “Today many constructions implemented in this document demand modernization, the question is what and how to make use of its accords, and it should be also found out during the negotiation process,” said the diplomat. At the same time, Vladimir Yastrebchak told that the “Kozak Memorandum” is an integral document with a complex system of restrains and counterbalance, as a result, it would be wrong “to extract” some of its stipulations. “Moldova and Pridnestrovie have drifted away from the “Kozak Memorandum”, but drifted in different directions. Pridnestrovie moved forward, having developed the principles written in this document concerning the non-use of pressure on one of the parties and insisting upon elaboration of the system of international guaranties; Moldova drew back, having returned to unitary approaches,” marked the Minister.
