Moscow and Chisinau plead for final settlement of Transnistrian dispute

Moscow and Chisinau plead for the necessity of re-launching the plenary process of settling the dispute in a definitive manner. This opinion was framed on Monday, April 23, as part of a meeting between Moldova’s Minister of Reintegration Vasili Sova and Valeri Nesteruskin, Russia’s MFA special envoy and negotiator in 5+2 format. According to a press release from the Ministry of Reintegration, the discussions focussed on the possibilities to resume the negotiations on the settlement of the Transnistrian dispute in 5+2 format. In the context, the Minister of Reintegration reiterated Chisinau’s willingness to participate in negotiations and mentioned the need of bringing together all the participants in the process without delay. The Russian diplomat was informed about the positive dynamics of export-import operations performed by economic entities in Transnistria, mainly in the context of approving the Government Decision no.301 of 19 March 2007, which provides the temporarily registered enterprises on the left bank of the Nistru with the possibility to export goods in preferential regime to EU and CIS countries. At the end of last week, Kalman Mizsei, EU Special Representative for Moldova, had discussions in Moscow with Russian officials related to the Transnistrian issue, the Russian MFA announced. The negotiations in “5+2” format were interrupted in late February 2006, while numerous attempts to re-launch the talks have failed.