Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was headed by Jean-Claude Mignon who was elected President of the PACE on January 23, 2012, thus becoming the 26th Chairperson of the Parliamentary Assembly since its creation.
The diplomat arrived in Pridnestrovie accompanied by the head of the PACE Representative Office, counselor on specific issues and head of the CoE Office in the Republic of Moldova. The visit to Pridnestrovie was an introductory one. The European parliamentarians study the situation in the Republic.
On the eve of the meeting with the President of the PMR Yevgeny Shevchuk and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nina Shtanski, Jean-Claude Mignon held negotiations with officials of the Republic of Moldova. The PACE President noted that issues of interaction between the two banks of the Dniester for resolution of a number of socio-economic problems are one of the first in the agenda of the political Europe.
“I have offered the President assistance of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly in the solution of problems existing between the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie,” the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Jean-Claude Mignon told. “I have to state that today politicians of both Moldova and Pridnestrovie put attainment of prosperity of the population on both banks of the Dniester above all.” Yevgeny Shevchuk told that Republic implements policy of openness, and cooperation with such authoritative organization as the PACE seems very useful to him. The first meeting, although being an introductory one, appeared to be quite meaningful.
“We believe that only dialogue can help us be understood and present our interests. We are intended to seek compromise formulas not only with Moldova, but Ukraine as well,” the President of the PMR Yevgeny Shevchuk pointed out. “We are an integral part of the European continent and are interested in peace on the Dniester to be fixed by appropriate settlement formula.”
Summing up the dialogue, the President expressed his hope that international partners will be able to render practical help in finding mutually acceptable mechanisms of settlement of the Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations.
For reference: Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is one of the two main charter bodies of the Council of Europe and represents interests of major political parties existing in member states of the Organization. Representatives of parliamentary structures of 47 democratic states of the Council of Europe cooperate in the framework of the Assembly.
