Today Pridnestrovian foreign office saw a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Nina Shtanski and the delegation of Ireland headed by Irish Minister of State Lucinda Creighton. Participating in the meeting also were Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Pridnestrovian settlement Erwan Fouere, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Jennifer Brush, the Ambassador of Ireland in the Republic of Moldova Oliver Grogan, Deputy Head of the Task Force of the OSCE Chairmanship Brian Glynn, representative of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre Konsta Heikkila.
While opening the meeting Nina Shtanski gave a welcoming speech. In particular, Minister noted that Irish OSCE Chairmanship has big significance for Pridnestrovie. According to Minister, this State possesses enormous experience in conflict settlement and demonstrates today rather weighted approaches which help the activity of 5+2 format.
Minister noted the activity of 5+2 format, which has activated appreciably this year, and the efforts of the Pridnestrovian side directed on intensification of the efficiency of expert groups. In order to obtain greater result in the dialogue between Pridnestrovie and Moldova Nina Shtanski urged political representatives to increase their attempts in this direction. “We need to fill the tactics of small steps with effective results. The results, that people on two banks of the Dniester would feel. It seems to me, that it will help us to move from political declarations to practical work,” Pridnestrovian diplomat concluded.
At the same time Nina Shtanski expressed regret concerning the absence of the progress in achievement of practical results by the sides. “Considerable period of time has passed this year; and the progress exists only in development of contacts. Of course, contacts between the sides play important role. But there are also social expectations. These social expectations concern actions. For this purpose there is a need for political will,” Minister concluded. She expressed opinion, that may be politicians and diplomats on the both banks of the Dniester should be more courageous in decision making and should not be afraid of critics.
Irish Minister of State expressed high opinion towards the pragmatic approach of Pridnestrovie in the negotiations in 2012. Lucinda Creighton expressed support to the Head of Pridnestrovian foreign office in her opinion, that negotiation process between the sides should be filled with practical results.
At the end of the meeting, answering the questions of journalists, Nina Shtanski reported, that during this event Irish colleagues received impartial information on the unsolved problems of negotiation process. First of all, it concerned the issues of freedom of movement and economical development of Pridnestrovie. According to the opinion of Pridnestrovian diplomat, all the participants of the meeting understood, that unsettlement of the conflict should not impede economical processes.
Irish Minister of State noticed, that Irish experience of conflict resolution could be useful within the given context, but, at the same time, the context of the process of settlement of Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations differs from Irish scheme. “Today we came to conclusion, that the continuing dialogue between political representatives of the sides is the key to success in the process of settlement,” Lucinda Creighton said.
