Today, the meeting of Head of the PMR's MFA with Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Erwan Fouere took place at the PMR's MFA. Participating in the meeting were also acting Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Jan Plesinger, Advisor to Mr. Erwan Fouere James O'Shea, officer of the OSCE Central Office Stijn Schrooten, and Political Adviser of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Juhan Kahk.
Interlocutors discussed a number of issues which should be put in the agenda of the forthcoming meeting of the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the Pridnestrovien Settlement Negotiation Process in the 5+2 format designed to take place at the end of February in Dublin.
In the course of the conversation, Nina Shtanski pointed out that the Pridnestrovien side pins great hopes on the Irish Chairmanship of the OSCE. “Experience that Irish diplomats have gained in resolution of difficult conflicts on their land will allow them to build a wise position in the course of settlement of the Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations”, she told.
Erwan Fouere expressed his satisfaction with the steps already made by Tiraspol towards Kishinev. According to him, this contributes to strengthening of the climate of trust between the sides. He also marked benefit of the Moldova-Pridnestrovie contacts at the highest level. In particular, the meeting between the PMR's President Yevgeny Shevchuk and Prime-Minister of the Republic of Moldova Vladimir Filat in Odessa, in the words of the Special Representative, created positive dynamism in solution of matters important for the residents of Moldova and Pridnestrovie in the sphere of movement of people and goods, telecommunication and other practical issues. It is necessary to keep this momentum going.
Dissemination of the topic of a possible transformation of the current format of the peacekeeping operation by some Moldovan mass media was also raised at the meeting. The Minister, in particular, paid attention of the European colleagues to the fact that such publications which came next to the meeting of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office with the leadership the Republic of Moldova create unfavourable information background. In this connection, Nina Shtanski underlined that issue of the current peacekeeping format cannot be regarded in the framework of the Permanent Conference. The given position was met with understanding and support of the OSCE representatives.
Following the meeting, Nina Shtanski reported to journalists that mutual understanding was reached on the majority of issues which were discussed during the dialogue. “Today, a fairly constructive substantive dialogue on a whole range of topical issues took place. This strengthens our confidence in that the forthcoming meeting in Dublin has high potential,” the Minister stated.
Head of the foreign political office marked high assessment given by the current OSCE Chairmanship to the steps which were undertaken by the Pridnestrovien side to facilitate regime of movement of people, services and goods. She told that the Pridnestrovien side expects reciprocal steps from the official Kishinev.
Concluding the meeting, the sides expressed confidence that mutual efforts would allow it to intensify negotiation process on the Moldova-Pridnestrovien relations normalization.
