On March 30, 2012, Professor of International Security in the University of Birmingham (Great Britain) Stefan Wolff held a lecture on types of guarantees in negotiation and settlement in T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University. It is famous scientist's third visit to Pridnestrovie. This time he arrived at the invitation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR.
Among those who attended the lecture were Rector of T.G. Shevchenko PSU Stepan Beril, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev, Director of Institute of History State and Law of T.G. Shevchenko PSU Iliya Galinsky, member of Consultative Council under the President of the PMR on international affairs Andrey Safonov, representatives of Pridnestrovian scientific community and students.
Stefan Wolff told about the European experience in formation of guarantees in the process of settlement of international conflicts. Professor presented his own model of guarantee mechanism, which he called “matryoshka principle”. According to the present principle, on the initial stage both official and unofficial arrangements are possible. These agreements form the basis of negotiation process because they define the level of confidence between the sides and their agreement capacity in principle. Legal guarantees are the next stage in the dialogue of the sides. Documents fix the obligations and stipulate their fulfillment. They cover the whole negotiation process and its' separate aspects. Constitutional guarantees form the next stage. They also have legal significance and cover certain aspects of negotiation process. International guarantees constitute the forth, closing stage. The sides may be subjected to sanctions in case of non-observance of their conditions.
Summing up the outcomes of the report, political scientist outlined, that the sides' wish to reach mutually accepted arrangement is the main thing in negotiation process. Otherwise any guarantees lose their practical significance.
In the conclusion of the lecture Stefan Wolff answered the questions of the audience. He was asked about the projection of experience of settlement of international conflicts on the problem of Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations. Professor concluded, that given subject area does not have universal scheme, because each situation has its' own specific. Commenting upon Moldova-Pridnestrovie problem, the scientist noticed: “During the negotiations Kishinev and Tiraspol should find their own decision acceptable for both sides.”
After the end of the meeting Vitaly Ignatiev during the interview to the journalists reported, that present meeting was useful not only for the experts but also for the general public. Diplomat emphasized, that the topic of the guarantees has principal significance for us, especially within the context of Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement. “Complex, well thought-out system of guarantees is necessary on the initial stages of negotiation process. Otherwise it is very complicated to move forward and to reach further steps in the dialogue of the sides,” Vitaly Ignatiev concluded.
According to the diplomat, the attraction of experts of international level to Pridnestrovie will afford to form stable and efficient system of guarantees within the context of Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement.
After the completion of scientific presentation in State University, Stefan Wollf held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Nina Shtanski. Different aspects of use of the complex guarantee mechanism in the process of the settlement of the relations between Moldova and Pridnestrovie were considered during the meeting.
Pridnestrovian diplomats agreed to continue interaction with British expert within the framework of his scientific activity which has large applied significance for the given region of Europe.
