Smirnov meets with Ukrainian Foreign Minister

Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov made an unofficial visit to Kyiv last week to meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishcenko, the online version of the Ukrainian publication Zerkalo Nedeli reported, citing diplomatic sources. Although the content of the discussions remained unknown, the publication remarked that “Smirnov's visit to Kyiv is not only a proof of the importance attached to the Transnistrian issue by the current government of the country, but also a signal that Ukraine continues to hold at least one of the keys to the settlement of the conflict on the eastern side of the Nistru”. The publication also observed that “despite optimistic expectations of the Transnistrian leadership following Viktor Yanukovych's victory in the presidential elections, the Ukrainian leadership didn't hurry to ask Igor Smirnov over. Moreover, the Ukrainian president has repeatedly stated that Kyiv pleads for the urgent settlement of the frozen conflict exclusively based on Moldova's territorial integrity”. Earlier the Ukrainian press reported that the supporters of Transnistria's independence petitioned the Ukrainian and Russian presidents to recognize Transnistria following the model of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The two presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych, signed in mid May a declaration stating that a solution to the Transnistrian conflict can be found “only through peaceful political means and through dialogue between equal parties”. At the same time, Ukrainian MP Oleg Bilorus suggested that the declaration could lead to Transnistria becoming part of Ukraine as Moldova would return to Russia's sphere of influence, a statement dismissed at official level.