The Foreign Ministry of Pridnestrovie hosted a meeting between Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev and a delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany, headed by Martin Neumeyer, the Integration Commissioner for the Bavarian State Government. The meeting was also attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to the Republic of Moldova Ulrike Maria Knots.
The sides exchanged views on a wide range of topical issues. The discussion focused on the current state and prospects of the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and the Republic of Moldova.
The Head of the Pridnestrovian Foreign Ministry noted that all the necessary tools and platforms to achieve the goals set in the conflict settlement process exist today. At the same time Vitaly Ignatiev emphasized real absence of progress in the implementation of the Berlin Protocol, signed in June this year. According to the diplomat, unwillingness of the Moldovan side to move towards resolution of such important and sensitive social and economic issues, as politically motivated criminal prosecution of Pridnestrovian citizens by the Republic of Moldova, freight railway communication, transport, apostillization of Pridnestrovian higher education diplomas and other issues, are “a litmus test of the real readiness of Moldovan partners for a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue with Pridnestrovie”.
Vitaly Ignatiev expressed appreciation to the German side for its active work on the track of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict settlement in 2016 and mentioned among others the visit of the OSCE CiO Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Pridnestrovie. The Foreign Minister voiced hope that many positive initiatives and developments of the German OSCE Chairmanship would provide a solid foundation and kind of a “road map” for the substantive work of the parties in the next year, during the Austrian Chairmanship in the OSCE.
