EU says certain progress was made in Transnistrian conflict settlement talks

The European Union established that certain progress was made in the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks. “We see a more active attitude and hope that it will transform into something,” the Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Dirk Schuebel said in a news conference, Info-Prim Neo reports. The Transnistrian dispute is one of the problems that Moldova must solve before applying for entry into the EU. “We budgeted €12 million this year for confidence building measures. This money is intended not only for the region. They will be also used to develop the offices for responsible persons, like Mister Eugen Karpov (Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration – e.n.), and for those from the Security Zone,” said Dirk Schuebel. According to the Ambassador, the cooperation over the last three months became easier, but they will speak about progress not sooner than the end of this year, after several rounds of talks in the 5+2 format are held. “We had a meeting in Dublin. The next round will take place in Vienna on April 17-18. The EU will continue to play an important role in these talks, but now we are only observers. The EU contributes to these talks financially as well and we want to be treated as equal partners in them,” stated Dirk Schuebel, suggesting that the EU should become a mediator in the negotiation process. The European Union will insist on this, but the decision is to be taken by the sides involved in the talks. The EU and the U.S. were included in the negotiation process as observers in 2005. Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE act as mediators.