The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the meeting between Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev and Thomas Lenk, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Kelly Keiderling, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, also attended the meeting.
The diplomats discussed the current state of relations between Pridnestrovie and Moldova. Vitaly Ignatiev noted that the dialogue between the parties has steadily deteriorated since late 2019, when Chisinau refused to sign the Protocol of the Bratislava meeting in the ‘5+2’ format. He specifically mentioned the destructive actions on the part of Moldova in recent years that have hindered normal interaction, when Moldova ignored the Pridnestrovian initiatives to hold high-level meetings, adopted the so-called ‘law on separatism’, refused to honor the gentleman’s agreement on the free movement of officials reached under the OSCE Mission Head’s guarantees, or refused to sign a Declaration on Peaceful Approaches to Settlement.
The Minister noted that the ‘negative legacy’ from previous years of the negotiation process has led to numerous challenges, culminating in the humanitarian and energy crisis in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. He emphasized the urgent need to revitalize international mediation and foster a paradigm of Moldova’s readiness for dialogue, including the responsible implementation of its commitments. He also reaffirmed Pridnestrovie’s full support for any forms of a civilized dialogue.
During the discussion, various aspects of the current agenda and the prospects for the negotiation process were addressed, including the need for a concrete work plan by the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship in 2025. Vitaly Ignatiev emphasized the importance of utilizing all available diplomatic tools to stimulate dialogue between the parties at various levels. He noted that any decisions should take into account the will of the Pridnestrovian people and the evolving global context, which has a direct impact on the regional situation, including the Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement.
The parties agreed to continue dialogue on the full range of relevant issues within the framework of the negotiation process.
