A high-level seminar on confidence and security-building measures (CSBMs), organised by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, began today in the Ukrainian city of Odessa. The event brings together the chief negotiators and high-ranking military experts from Moldova and the Transnistrian region as well from the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union. Ambassador Louis O’Neill, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, pointed out in a speech at the start of the meeting that this seminar will help illustrate the importance of confidence- and security-building measures to all sides, and how they can be used to diffuse tensions and build trust. The seminar builds upon a set of confidence and security building measures worked out by the OSCE Mission together with experts from Russia and Ukraine and delivered to the Moldovan government and the Transnistrian leadership in July 2005. The package includes draft agreements on possible reductions in military forces and armaments as well as proposals for increased contact, monitoring of weapons-manufacturing facilities, joint training on peace-support operations, joint inspections training, joint disaster relief operations, and common procedures for eliminating surplus ammunition and small arms.