Representatives of civil society of Moldova made a call to the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton concerning the situation in the Transnistrian region. The signatories ask including the situation in the Security Zone in the agenda of the meeting in the 5+2 format that will take place in Vienna this month. They also call upon the mediators to use the available legal means to stabilize the situation, IPN reports.

The civil society representatives said that the Russia Federation should be requested not to continue strengthen its military contingent within the Joint Peacekeeping Forces and to pull out its troops and munitions from the Transnistrian region in stages. They also ask encouraging the union of the Moldovan political class and society in the efforts to remedy the situation in Transnistria.

The signatories demand extending the mandate of the EUBAM so as to provide assistance in setting up and ensuring the functioning of the six checkpoints along the Nistru and enlarging the group of civil observers for monitoring the situation in Tighina and other settlements. They also ask encouraging civil society to take part in the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks.

Among the signatories are the Foreign Policy Association, IDIS Viitorul, Promo-LEX Association, “Integritate” Association (Grigoriopol), the Resource Center for Human Rights (CReDO), the Independent Analytical Center “Expert-Grup”, East Europe Foundation, the Association of Independent Press, the National Youth Council of Moldova, Transparency-International Moldova, the Institute for Human Rights (IDOM), the Public Policy Institute, and others.