Mediators and observes realize dangers hiding in latent Transnistrian conflict, Igor Harchenko

“The EU, Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. realize the dangers hiding in the latent Transnistrian conflict. In fact, the related concerns of the international community led to the creation of a new format of the negotiations, known as the 5+2 format,” Igor Harchenko, Ukraine’s special representative to the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks, stated in an interview for the Agency Info-Prim Neo. Igor Harchenko referred to the initiatives concerning the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict put forward by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and the European Union in 2010, including the Merkel-Medvedev Memorandum. “The appearance of such an initiative like the Merkel-Medvedev Memorandum is a proof that the Transnistrian issue stopped being solely Moldova’s problem long ago. That’s why any initiative aimed at hastening the political settlement of the conflict will be welcome,” he said. Ukraine’s special representative to the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks stated that Ukraine’s efforts in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process were actively supported by the European Union. Ukraine and the EU reasserted their support for Moldova’s territorial integrity and voiced hope that the official talks in the 5+2 format will be resumed soon. Igor Harchenko also said that the mediators put forward sufficient initiatives designed to resolve the Transnistrian dispute, like Russia’s Kozak Memorandum and Ukraine’s Yushchenko Plan. “However, none of them has been fully implemented as the sides involved in the conflict did not have political will. I think that no recommendations will help if there is no political will. I reiterate that the main key to the conflict is in the hands of Chisinau and Tiraspol. The content of the political solution will depend on their wish to make concessions,” the Ukrainian official stressed.