The Special Representative of the Serbian OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transnistrian settlement process, Ambassador Radojko Bogojević remains strongly determined to facilitate achieving a comprehensive, just and viable resolution of the conflict, and help build confidence between people on both banks of the Nistru River. At the end of his visit to Moldova, the ambassador said it is vital that the meetings of the Chief Negotiators and the Working Groups get underway at the earliest opportunity, IPN reports.

Bogojević, who remains Special Representative for the Transnistrian settlement process for the duration of the consecutive Swiss and Serbian Chairmanships in 2014-2015, stressed that the Transnistrian settlement remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Chairmanship.

While in Moldova, the ambassador had meetings with a number of officials in Chisinau and Tiraspol, including Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration and Chief Negotiator Eugene Carpov and the Transnistrian leader Yevgeniy Shevchuk. In his meetings, he highlighted the need for the continuation of the 5+2 talks in 2015, underscoring the importance of immediately launching the preparatory dialogue.

Ambassador Michael Scanlan, the head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, welcomed the openness to dialogue of both sides. “I believe that the formation of a new government in Moldova will provide an opportunity to deepen confidence building activities as well as to embrace a constructive dialogue,” Scanlan said.

The Chief Negotiators of the sides have not met since 6 October 2014, when the electoral process put Chisinau’s engagement at this level on hold, pending a new government. This was Bogojević’s first visit to the region after the elections.