Moscow in favor of special status for Transnistria within Moldova

Moscow pleads for a special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova, Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov said during an official discussion with his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca in Moscow on March 29, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the website of “Ria Novosti” Agency. The Russian minister said they are in favor of immediately resuming the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks. “Chisinau and Moscow have a common viewpoint and consider that the official talks should be resumed as soon as possible so as to identify a special status for Transnistria within the unified state Moldova,” Sergey Lavrov said. The Russian official stressed that an agreement should be first reached by Chisinau and Tiraspol, while the negotiations should be based of mutual respect. Moldova's Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca is in Moscow on a one-day visit. He is to sign the program of humanitarian cooperation between the Government of Moldova and the Government of Russia for 2011-2013 and the plan of interministerial consultations for 2011. The program of the visit includes meetings with Russian officials and a meeting with a group of politologists specialized in international relations.