U.S. praises Vladimir Voronin for confidence-building proposals

The United States salutes the proposals made by President Vladimir Voronin in a move to promote confidence-building measures between Tiraspol and Chisinau, considering them very useful for the progress of the Transnistria settlement, David Kramer, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary, was reported by the presidential press service as saying. During a meeting held Friday, Kramer and Voronin exchanged views on the results of the recently held consultations in Vienna between mediators and observers in the Transnistria settlement. In this connection, President Voronin expressed the availability of Chisinau to resume without delay and any preconditions the five-plus-two talks. The discussions also addressed issues related to the present stage of the bilateral relations and the fulfilment of the Millennium Challenge Account Programme. During recent interviews, President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin put forward a number of proposals on the settlement of the Transnistria conflict. Among these are the cancellation of restrictions on the free movement of officials and persons holding important positions, joint participation in the formulation and carrying out of projects on the restoration and modernisation of the infrastructure, especially in the transport sector, implementation of measures on gradual demilitarisation and disarmament, constitution of joint armed forces, and others. A letter built upon these proposals was sent by the Ministry of Reintegration to Tiraspol. Although left without any official answer, the foreign minister of the breakaway republic, Valery Litskai, termed the proposals by Voronin as “uninteresting, unachievable and improper”.