The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transnistrian Settlement Process Cord Meier-Klodt approves of the efforts made by the Government of Moldova to work out the Transnistrian settlement strategy. The German diplomat discussed the negotiation process and gradual resolution of the problems existing between the two sides of the Nistru River in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Gheorghe Balan, IPN reports.

Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt, who is paying a two-day visit to Moldova, called on the sides to continue work. He noted he realizes that the developments are not the expected ones, but the Government should be appreciated for its commitment to have a Transnistrian settlement strategy by the start of next year, and this can give a new impetus to the talks.

The German official said that the Government’s decision to strengthen the capacities of the Reintegration Office should also be appreciated. He added that now that the German OSCE Chairmanship is close to an end, he paves the way for his successor on behalf of Austria and hopes that this way this will be better prepared to address the Transnistrian issue.

Gheorghe Balan said the strategy on which they work will represent a framework of the problems for later identifying solutions to them one by one. Earlier, they approached one problem from a sector and another problem from another sector and so on, without a special strategy. Now things will be systematized.

In the meeting with the German diplomat, they discussed some of the issues that were earlier raised in Berlin, such as ecology and rail freight transport. The Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration noted that discussions will be yet held within the working groups that meet regularly.

Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt has visited Moldova in connection with the preparations for the OSCE Ministerial Council that meets in Hamburg this December.