OSCE calls on Russia to withdraw military troops from Moldova

The European Union, the USA, acting Chairmanship of OSCE, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia called on the Russian Federation to entirely fulfil its commitments assumed at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul (1999) concerning the full withdrawal of its forces from Moldova. The respective delegations made this appeal during the 14-th OSCE Ministerial Council held in Brussels, a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration says. In the context, it was remarked that the fulfilment of the respective commitments will contribute to implement the FACE Adapted Treaty, as well as to the process of settling the Transnistrian dispute. The EU, the USA, Czech Republic and other OSCE actors stressed the necessity of transforming the current peacekeeping operation in Transnistria into a multinational mission in compliance with the international standards. The delegations of EU, the USA, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Latvia have reiterated their firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integration of Moldova. In this respect, the mentioned delegations called on to resume without preconditions the “5+2” talks with a view to finding a political solution to the Transnistrian dispute. The European Union appreciated the level of cooperation between Moldova and Ukraine in the field of customs regime and reiterated its willingness to continue the activity of the EU Border Assistance Mission.