On November 5, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vladimir Yastrebchak met with delegation of representatives of guarantor states, intermediaries and observers in Permanent Consultations on Political Issues in the Framework of the Pridnestrovien Settlement Negotiation Process. Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Gedryus Chekuolis, Ambassador-at-Large of Russian MFA Sergey Gubarev, Representative of Ukrainian MFA on Pridnestrovien Settlement Igor Harchenko, Head of EU Delegation in Moldova Dirk Shuebel, Deputy Assistant of State Secretary of the USA Daniel Russel were among the members of the delegation. Deputy Foreign Ministers Alexander Malyarchuk and Vitaliy Ignatiev also participated in the meeting from the Pridnestrovien side.
While opening the meeting, Vladimir Yastrebchak expressed appreciation to foreign diplomats for their consent to visit Pridnestrovie and to examine the situation of the process of Moldova-Pridnestrovien settlement on site. According to the Minister, such exchange of opinions is particularly important for approaching practical implementation of the arrangements, achieved during Moscow consultations, held on September 22. The decision on resumption of official work of 5+2 format became principle of these arrangements.
As reported by Head of PMR's MFA, the Pridnestrovien side had recently made a number of steps, directed to normalization of relations between the Republic of Moldova and the Pridnestrovien Moldavian Republic. In particular, as noted by Minister, the PMR's President had made a decision on discharge of Iliya Kazak, who had earlier been convicted for espionage in favour of Moldova and sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. “This decision was taken on the assumption of clemency application of Mr. Kazak. As opposed to Kishinev, actively exploiting the arrest topic, we did not make PR on our decision on pardon,” Vladimir Yastrebchak noted.
In his statement he also made an emphasis on the current situation in Security Zone on the Dniester – on the efforts of the Moldavian side on forcing of tension in connection with the decision of Tiraspol to place frontier migration posts near Pogrebya rural settlement and Dubossary GES. Vladimir Yastrebchak marked, that this decision was not unexpected to anybody and was dictated by urge of Pridnestrovie towards the protection of the rights of its citizens and its economic security. He paid attention to fiscal and police posts, working on the Moldavian side in GES area. This circumstance did not cause any concern of international community, while the actions of Pridnestrovie, directed on struggle with smuggling, for some reason attracted heightened attention.
Head of the Pridnestrovien MFA expressed serious concern about actions which had been undertaken by the Moldovan side this week in the Security Zone. As it was stated by Vladimir Yastrebchak, this refers to military exercise carried out by Kishinev in immediate vicinity of the Pridnestrovien border without notification of Tiraspol. Shootings with live ammunition which Moldova's artillery conducted five kilometers from Bendery were completely unexpected for Pridnestrovie. “In connection with this, I would like to draw attention to absolute dissymmetry of reaction to actions of the sides. Shootings with live ammunition remain unnoticed, while PMR's unarmed post designed to ensure protection of citizens' rights causes heightened concern,” Vladimir Yastrebchak told.
As Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Giedrius Cekuolis told at the meeting, the main task of the visit of representatives of guarantor countries, mediators and observers is to continue that positive dynamics that was obtained at Moscow consultations on the Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement. “We came to discuss in what way we will move forward in this issue,” the diplomat told. In his words, decision on the resumption of the official work in the five plus two format taken in Moscow is an important step forward in the process of settlement. Giedrius Cekuolis voiced proposal to carry out the first official meeting in this format on November 30 – December 1, 2011, in Vilnius. It is supposed that the main issue of its agenda will be discussion of principles and mechanisms of work of the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the Pridnestrovien Settlement Negotiation Process. As Special Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office told, by the end of November representatives of guarantor countries, mediators and observers plan to agree upon joint draft of such procedural rules and submit it for consideration to the sides.
According to the Head of the Pridnestrovien MFA, Pridnestrovie is ready to restart official consultations in the 5+2 format. Tiraspol counts on the responsible approach of all the participants to the preparation of this meeting so that it would bring results. “Question of the date of launching the consultations is a technical one. It is important that the first meeting wouldn't become the last one. In this sense, of major importance will be its substantive content,” Vladimir Yastrebchak noted in his comments to journalists on the results of his meeting with representatives of guarantor countries, mediators and observers. “Therefore, in my view, decision to dedicate the first meeting to the discussion of the principles and mechanisms of work of the 5+2 format is a correct goal. It makes the value of the future meeting even higher. Working out of such procedural document will have not a momentary meaning but rather define further work of the Permanent Conference for a long-term perspective in order not to allow such a breakdown in our work which has lasted for five years and a half.”
Summing up the meeting with leadership of the MFA, Giedrius Cekuolis assented to the opinion of the Pridnestrovien side. He marked that one shouldn't expect any great decisions from the first official meeting in the framework of the Permanent Conference. “One shouldn't hope that progress will be made by leaps and bounds after oficialization of the 5+2 format. It's not a theatre and not some kind of a car race. There many issues for consideration, but I think we will start with the basis, i.e. with elaboration of procedural rules. And I have certain optimism regarding efficiency of this work,” Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office told.
