Javier Solana – European Union willing to contribute to identifying political solutions on Transnistrian issue

The European Union, engaged in the negotiation process, is determined to contribute to identifying certain political solutions on the Transnistrian issue, the General Secretary of EU Council, Javier Solana, announced about this at the meeting with the president of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin. According to the presidency press release, Javier Solana has appreciated the economic evolutions of Moldova, referring, especially, to the new agreement concluded with IMF and results of the negotiations of Moldovan authorities with the Paris Club. The high-ranking EU Official mentioned that the discussions with the president Voronin also were based on the reform process of the justice in RM, the current situation of the cooperation with EU under the aspect of the neighborhood policy, as well as items related to RM relations with the neighbor states, Ukraine and Romania, and Russian Federation. The General Secretary of EU Council, according to the report, underlined that during the discussions there were made conclusions attractive for both parts. At his turn, Vladimir Voronin expressed his gratitude to the EU Council for the opportunity to evaluate the progresses and to identify the problems in the process of achieving the European integration option of RM. He also underscored the exceptional role of the General Secretary of EU Council in organizing the international monitoring of the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, highlighting that he is satisfied with the results of the activity of the EU Border Assistance Mission. According to BBC, Javier Solana hopes that the negotiations in the Transnistrian matter will restart soon. But the European diplomats do not see a prompt solution. They consider that Russia is waiting for the solution proposed by the international community for Kosovo at the end of the year, in order to use it subsequently as a precedent. According to it, at the meeting with Franco Frattini, the European Commissioner for Justice and Internal Affairs, Voronin said: "We hear requirements to postpone the monitoring (at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, but we do not see the will to seriously and definitely decide the problem of evacuating the troops and armament ". He also noted that this is a danger for citizens of Transnistria, there being accumulated ammunition quantities equal to two bombs as that of Hiroshima. According to Voronin, these troops and ammunitions play the role of a political shield for Transnistrian authorities that understand in this way that the Russian Federation shores up them. According to BBC, Voronin also mentioned in Brussels that citizens having other citizenships than that of RM will enjoy the visa facilities to those countries, via Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Romania. “Moldova does not have for the moment the adhesion perspective and, as it results of Voronin’s meetings with European Commissioners for Energy, Agriculture and Secretary, the concrete offer of the European Union is rather limited”, BBC mentioned. Regarding the dispute with Russia on the gas price, RM has first of all to present to Brussels an energy strategy, hoping that starting the next year to become a member of the European Energy Treaty, providing the possibility of a closer cooperation with Ukraine and Romania. Regarding the Russian embargo on Moldovan wines, president Voronin solicited shares for wine import in the European Union, though he will have to wait for an answer, BBC reports. RM president Vladimir Voronin made an official visit to Belgium on June 21-22.