Eugen Carpov expects that OSCE statement will stimulate dialogue in 5+2 format

The statement adopted by the OSCE Ministerial Council may stimulate the official Transnistrian conflict settlement dialogue in the 5+2 format. The Irish initiative says the dialogue partners should center strictly on this format, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov stated in a news conference centering on the 19th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council that was held in Dublin, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Eugen Carpov, the statement adopted in Dublin refers especially to the fact that the Transnistrian conflict can be settled only based on Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, by working out a special legal status for the Transnistrian region. The statement also refers to the content of the discussions. Eugen Carpov said the last three rounds of the negotiations centered on the socioeconomic cooperation and humanitarian subjects and the human rights. “Given Tiraspol’s and Russia’s reticence, we have not yet started to discuss the third chapter that concerns the political settlement and security aspects. A provision from the adopted statement cleary says that the OSCE member states hope the discussions will advance in parallel on all the three chapters,” he stated. Another element specified in the statement refers to the implementation of measures that contribute to building confidence between the people living on the sides of the Nistru and to removing the obstacles to free movement. According to Eugen Carpov, the Moldovan delegation to the Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council presented a statement saying the Transnistrian issue consists not only of the negotiations on the conflict, but also of the commitments that must be honored. First of all, it is Russia’s commitment to withdraw its troops and munitions from Moldova’s territory. The delegation also stressed the necessity of opening discussions on the transformation of the current peacekeeping force into a civilly-mandated one. Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leanca told the same news conference that Moldova’s position is supported by the foreign partners. “Foreign partners’ discourses on the Transnistrian issue avoided the pullout of the Russian troops during the last few years. Now yet, the delegation of the U.S. and that of the EU underlined the necessity of starting the withdrawal process,” he said. The 19th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council took place in Dublin on December 6-7.