The heads of the Pridnestrovian and Moldovan sides signed the Protocol Decision on the Principles of Resumption of a Full-scale Freight Railway Communication through the Territory of Pridnestrovie.
The signature of the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and Prime-Minister of the Republic of Moldova affirmed previously stated intention of both sides to cooperate in socio-economic sphere, the President's press service has said.
On the eve of the meeting, the PMR's President held a special meeting with the leadership of the Pridnestrovian MFA, customs committee and railway representatives. Principal points of the Pridnestrovian position were coordinated.
The meeting of the two politicians and expert groups which took place today in the capital of Pridnestrovie gained colossal attention. To cover it, about 40 mass media of Pridnestrovie, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine were accredited. It was important for everyone to hear the outcome of long-standing negotiations on elimination of existing barriers to free movement through the Pridnestrovian railway section.
More than three hours of discussions behind the closed doors resulted in a document providing for commitments between the sides to organize railway movement through the territory of the PMR. For the purposes of carrying out joint customs control, the sides shall set up two joint zones of customs control at the railway stations Bendery-2 (the village of Varnitsa) and Rybnitsa (the town of Rybnitsa). It is planned to organize customs posts on parity basis – on the Pridnestrovian and Moldovan territories.
Supplementary protocols on joint customs control will be elaborated and signed by the sides' expert groups on customs issues within 15 days. The document reads, “After the Parties agree upon the mechanism of resumption of freight railway communication through Pridnestrovie, the GP Moldovan Railways shall initiate talks with the OAO Russian Railways and GP Ukrzaliznytsia in order to implement conditions of the given Protocol Decision”.
According to specialists, the principle moment is that today commitments on inadmissibility of unilateral actions which can impede implementation of technical and other aspects were given.
The sides agreed that within 30 days from the moment of signing of the document all necessary organizational technical measures to implement provisions of the Protocol Decision will be taken.
Responding to the questions of the journalists, President of the PMR Yevgeny Shevchuk stressed that “Agreement reflects concrete parameters and terms in order to restore a full-scale railway communication, and at the same time to ensure the functioning of a railway and the needs of economic agents, and above all – this agreement is aimed at improving living conditions of our people”.
This day, March 30, 2012, has already gone down in history.
