5+2 talks closed with no document being signed

The new round of 5+2 Transnistrian settlement talks that took place in Lvov ended with no document being signed. In a news conference in Ukraine broadcast by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov said that the meeting of Prime Minister Vlad Filat and the Transnistrian leader Yevgeny Shevchuk didn’t take place, but remains a priority, Info-Prim Neo reports. Eugen Carpov said they continued to discuss subjects concerning the ensuring of the free movement of people, vehicles and goods and examined Chisinau’s initiative to create a common economic area between the banks of the Nistru River as well as the functioning of the Moldovan-administered, Latin-script schools in Transnistria. There was stressed the importance of avoiding unilateral actions that can worsen the work of these education institutions. A separate subject for discussion was the functioning of the existent mechanism for eliminating the obsolete radioactive elements that are in the Transnistrian region. It was proposed approving a special procedure that would allow importing radioactive elements into the region for being used by Transnistrian enterprises. The discussions on the issue will be continued later. Tiraspol’s political representative Nina Shtanski said that no compromise could be reached over the free movement of the Ukrainians and Russians from the Transnistrian region. Another problem is the fact that the Moldovan side changed its position on the registration of motor vehicles in the region. “We hope that after consultations with experts, the Moldovan side will return to their previous position,” she stated. The OSCE Chairperson’s Special Representative for conflicts, Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia urged both sides to refrain from taking any measures that could degrade the atmosphere as they worked out the complex details of the issues before them. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Jennifer Brush said she was disappointed by these talks as Vlad Filat and Yevgeny Shevchuk did not attend and no consensus was reached as regards the reopening of the Gura Bicului Bridge. The next 5+2 meeting will be held on May 23-24 in Odessa, Ukraine. The 5+2 format includes representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the negotiation process – Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the US and the EU.