Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian said there are no signs showing the Republic of Moldova can be engaged in the war in Ukraine. He admitted that the Transnistrian region can contribute to the escalation of the conflict, but such a scenario is for now hypothetical only. The official noted the war in Ukraine fully blocked the 5+2 format talks, while the discussions with the Transnistrian leaders now refer only to technical issues, IPN reports.
Oleg Serebrian said there are for now no reasons for concern about an eventual involvement of the Transnistrian region in the war in Ukraine. Neither the citizens of the region nor the self-styled Transnistrian authorities support such a scenario.
“A conflict that remains unsolved in such a turbulent area is a danger. The danger is that these tensions will immediately affect us and we will be definitely engaged in this conflict. After the war in Ukraine broke out, the discussions with the Transnistrian side have refereed strictly to technical aspects. Political subjects are not raised as the political talks in the 5+2 format are not functional now either. The discussions now refer to the transit, imports, electricity as these issues are of interest to both of the sides,” Oleg Serebrian stated in the program “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.
The Deputy Premier noted that the 5+2 format talks and the so-called policy of small steps are criticized, but this format maintained peace in the region and assured developments on some of the social aspects.
“It is considered that either due to the OSCE or to other participants, the 5+2 format is inappropriate. Many criticize the presence of Tiraspol in this format and say that discussions should be held directly with Moscow. The OSCE was also reproached and it was proposed replacing the OSCE with the UN. But there are so many conflicts in the world in which the UN is involved and UN peacekeeping missions have worked for years and conflicts haven’t been settled. The replacement of the international mediator does not mean that the talks will be successful. Despite all the criticism leveled at this format of negotiations, compared with the other conflicts in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Karabachos, the Transnistrian conflict developed by small steps and many things were done right,” stated the official.
The talks in the 5+2 format include Chisinau and Tiraspol as the conflicting sides, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine as mediators and the EU and the U.S. as observers.
