The resumption of the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format in 2016 didn’t mean the advancing of the dispute resolution process, said expert of Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Veaceslav Berbeca, who is the author of the study “Prospects of solving the Transnistrian conflict in regional context” that was presented on December 27, IPN reports.

The expert said there are many causes for this delay in settling the conflict and for the maintenance of the status-quo. First of all, a selective approach is adopted to the discussed subjects. Only social and economic problems are discussed, with the political and security issues being omitted. It is hard to discuss solutions to the conflict when political and security matters are not actually raised. The human rights and freedom of movement are two major issues that the Transnistrian leaders refuse to discuss.

Secondly, there is a state of distrust between the sides involved in the negotiation process. This situation is amplified by the role played by Russia. Moscow insists on the guaranteeing of the assumption of responsibility for implementing particular accords at a time when unilateral agendas are imposed at the negotiating table.

The expert noted that the negotiations do not make headway as regards the status of the Russian troops in Transnistria either. They regularly stage common military exercises of the Russian and Transnistrian troops there.  Such attitudes undermine any measure to build confidence between both sides of the Nistru. Russia’s refusal to replace the Russian peacekeepers with an international mission reveals Moscow’s intention to maintain its options of influence on Chisinau through the Transnistrian region.

Therefore, Veaceslav Berbeca considers the content of the Ministerial Statement on the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 that was adopted in Hamburg in December 2016 is opportune. This calls on the sides to commit to constructively and regularly meet to ensure tangible progress in all the three baskets of the agenda agreed for the negotiation process. Chisinau must insist on the modification of the logic of the conflict resolution stages imposed by the Russian Federation, which avoids discussing the problem of the status of the Russian army in the region before the Transnistrian dispute is resolved politically.

The expert believes Ukraine should be more actively coopted into the 5+2 format talks. In such a case, a common position will diminish Russia’s insistence on imposing particular predetermined situations as regards the conflicts in Transnistria and Donbas.