Today the PMR’s President received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USA to the RM James Pettit. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Dmitry Palamarchuk. The dialogue was initiated by the American side.
Yevgeny Shevchuk thanked James Pettit for the attention shown to the republic, noting the willingness to discuss issues and topics of mutual interest. “Our meetings are an additional opportunity for you to understand the situation, taking place in Pridnestrovie, and the positions of Pridnestrovie,” - said the President.
Describing the contacts with American diplomats, Dmitry Palamarchuk explained after the meeting the importance of maintaining contacts with international negotiating partners. “Colleagues from the United States are parties to the negotiations on the Pridnestrovian conflict settlement and, in fact, observers in the “5+2” format. We treat our colleagues from the United States the same way as to all participants in the negotiation process. Perhaps the consultations are not as systemic as with friends from the Russian Federation, mediators from Ukraine and the OSCE, nevertheless we share our vision, positions on various issues affecting the ongoing dialogue between Pridnestrovie and Moldova,” - noted the diplomat.
During the meeting, the President of the PMR and the US Ambassador discussed in detail the current situation in the dialogue between Pridnestrovie and Moldova with a focus on the problems that have occurred in various areas of socio-economic, humanitarian and legal cooperation. The PMR’s President expressed extreme concern at the practice of detention and in-depth examination of officers of the authorities of the PMR at the airport in Kishinev, as well as psychological pressure, provocation and unreasonable requirements for the citizens of Pridnestrovie, crossing the border of Moldova.
The interlocutors also touched upon other aspects of the problem impeding functional dialogue between all participants in the negotiation process, as well as exchanged views on its prospects in the coming months.
Yevgeny Shevchuk drew the attention of the US Ambassador to a number of problematic issues existing in the negotiation process at the moment. The meeting also talked about the unilateral decision of the RM and Ukraine on the establishment of joint customs and border control at the checkpoint “Kuchurgan”. “The president gave a very tough assessment in connection with the unilateral decision of the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities,” - said after the meeting Dmitry Palamarchuk. “They discussed the situation with freight rail communication, where unilateral actions by the RM and Ukraine provoked serious negative manifestations. The subject of discussion was also the problems of criminal cases, in this area the meeting noted the lack of readiness of the Moldovan side to move toward compromise. During the meeting, the PMR President stressed that the meetings of representatives on political issues in the format “1+1” was not held since October last year. It is important to restore the work of this format, along with the work of the expert (working) groups and develop positive solutions aimed at improving the welfare of the Pridnestrovian population,” - said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR.
