As Press-Service of the President of the PMR informed today, law in draft of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic “On Goals and Principles of the Negotiation Process with the Republic of Moldova” was recalled by the President from the Supreme Soviet. This measure is aimed at preserving dynamics of the normalization of relations between the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Republic of Moldova.
The bill which was recalled today has been sent to the Supreme Soviet on July 1, 2011 in order to establish legal, organization, political and other grounds for the conduction of the negotiation process with the Republic of Moldova. On November 16, 2011 this project was passed in the first reading by the Supreme Soviet. Changes which occurred at the end of 2011 both in the negotiation process and in the guarantor-States of the Moldo-Pridnestrovian settlement process make the approval of this bill at present time unreasonable.
In December 2011 consultations in the format of Permanent Conference on Political issues in framework of the negotiation process on Pridnestrovian settlement were officialized. During the Dublin and Vienna rounds of consultations the document defining principles and procedures for the conduct of negotiations was agreed upon. The work of experts on resolving number of social and economic issues existing between Moldova and Pridnestrovie also started. During the Moldo-Pridnestrovian meetings on the high level the results of this work became embodied in form of signing of Agreement on the resumption of railway transportation through the territory of Pridnestrovie. This document was signed by the President of the PMR Yevgeny Shevchuk and Prime-Minister of Moldova Vladimir Filat. In March 30, 2012 the provisions of this agreement are being implemented by the Parties. Leadership of Pridnestrovie and of Moldova also defined new goals which can result in improvement of life of people residing both in Moldova and in Pridnestrovie in case of being resolved. It clearly shows that tactics of small steps, choosed by the Head of State in process of normalization of bilateral relations with the Republic of Moldova, prove its effectiveness and should proceed.
The recalled law in draft tried to regulate and concretize hard the authorities of the State bodies and officials of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic which were involved into the negotiation process. The law in draft was worked out in situation of a lasting long pause in the negotiations. On that stage its adoption could become an additional instrument for officializing the consultative format of the Permanent Conference. But it's way past time. In case of this bill being adopted today the capabilities of the President of the PMR, of the political representative of Pridnestrovie in negotiation process and of the members of the expert groups in conducting advantageous for Pridnestrovie agreements with Moldova would be seriously limited. It does not correspond to the interests of the people of Pridnestrovie.
In conditions of absence of generally accepted international practice of regulation of internationalized negotiation process by internal legislation of one of the participants, such action of Pridnestrovie may be considered by the participants of “Permanent Consultations” as a making of preconditions and as unilateral step of Pridnestrovie. In its' turn this will not promote the fortification of positions of the Pridnestrovian side on negotiations. Besides, the Principles and procedures of holding of negotiations within the framework of “Permanent Consultations” agreed and signed on April 18, 2012, contain provisions marked by the Pridnestrovian side as “principally important”. The adoption of the draft law could lead to loss of positions reached by Pridnestrovie.
As stated in the report of Department of press-service and information of the President of the PMR “at present time the participation of representatives of the PMR in negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova is regulated by the Constitution of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, by the Concept of Foreign Policy of the PMR and by set of international treaties, signed with the participation of the Pridnestrovian side. Besides, the course of foreign policy development of the State is defined on nationwide referendums, including the Referendum of September 17, 2006.”
In accordance with Foreign Policy Concept of the PMR strengthening and protection of independence and sovereignty of the Republic is the basic priority of Pridnestrovian foreign policy. At the same time the development of good-neighborly relations with Moldova is “necessary component of provision of security, maintenance of peace, strengthening of mutual confidence and cooperation, stable socio-economical development of the two countries.” The Concept reads, that “the elaboration of a certain model of state legal relations between Pridnestrovie and Moldova must consider existing international practice of peaceful settlement and must be based upon the result of a nationwide referendum.”
Since Foreign Policy Concept of Pridnestrovie was adopted on May 26, 2005, it did not consider the results of nationwide referendum held on September 17, 2006 and the changes that took place on the territory of the CIS. In this connection Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR reports, that in order to fulfill assignment of the President foreign office is working on new version of Foreign Policy Concept of Pridnestrovie which will fix the course of the State, directed on integration with Russia with an account taken of contemporary realities, and lay out the specifics of those aspects of negotiation process, which are subject to scheduling in Foreign Policy Concept of Pridnestrovie in full accordance with the Constitution of the PMR.
