President Yevgeny Shevchuk received a delegation of the OSCE headed by Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Radojko Bogojević. Deputy Chairperson of the Government of the PMR for International Cooperation – Foreign Minister of the PMR Nina Shtanski also participated in the meeting.
Attention was paid to the aspects of the negotiation process, including the possibility of the resumption of the “5+2” negotiations. At the meeting Radojko Bogojević conveyed a proposal of OSCE Chairperson in Office, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić to Yevgeny Shevchuk to hold the 5+2 meeting next autumn in Belgrade. Pridnestrovie’s President noted with regret that there are no documents prepared for the discussion in 5+2. “We are ready to continue negotiations, but in the context of the autumn meeting, I do not see any prospects for holding a meeting in the “5+2” format without the elaboration of decisions by expert groups which if adopted could seriously defuse the situation, to resolve the issues hindering the normal interaction. In the meantime, the unfriendly and offensive policy of Moldovan and Ukrainian partners does not give grounds for optimism. We ask the OSCE for the assistance in finding necessary tools to alleviate contradictions, tensions and resolve long-standing problems”, said Yevgeny Shevchuk. The Pridnestrovian President emphasized that “as well as the interests of our international partners of Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE, the European Union, the USA, Moldova involved in the “5+2” negotiations there are also interests of Pridnestrovie”. “Now we see an increase in social and economic tensions, it is reasonable, in our view, if not to help each other, then at least not to hinder the development under the crisis. We do not ask the Moldovan partners to help us, we ask them not to impede”, said the President.
“Pridnestrovie has faced serious artificial challenges. They are artificial limitations made by the authorities of Ukraine and Moldova. We feel a major impact. We hope that with the help of international mediators, the support of the guarantor countries, which have signed a serious commitments, we can find keys in the framework of the negotiations to solve this problem”, said Yevgeny Shevchuk. At the meeting, the Pridnestrovian side expressed concern about the prevailing situation which “due to objective and artificially created reasons generates conditions for the expansion of poverty, growing social tensions and fails to promote the formation of a constructive platform for conducting the negotiation process - stressed Yevgeny Shevchuk. - We believe that the time of benevolent statements not underpinned by concrete steps and results that can be seen by people, be felt by the economic actors, has gone. We are willing and ready to work in future with our partners at the negotiating table, but filling the agenda with substantive and concrete solutions that we can tell and show people. It is for us the most important thing”.
“We are aware of the concerns which the Pridnestrovian side has and we understand the importance of solving the problems that exist also within the framework of the negotiation process. I am very grateful for today's open and frank discussion”, said Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Radojko Bogojević after the meeting.
