Meeting of Moldovan and Transdnestr presidents in detail

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The April 11 meeting of the Moldovan and Transdnestr presidents, Vladimir Voronin and Igor Smirnov, was held behind the closed doors, but the leaders commented on its result after it ended, a REGNUM correspondent is told at the press office of the Transdnestr president.

According to Vladimir Voronin, “a meeting with Mr. Smirnov on which we previously agreed by phone has just taken place.” “We agreed that our meetings will become regular and we shall have phone talks as the need arises,” said Voronin.

“Besides, we agreed that work groups would be established on the two sides that will engage in examining all the issues of our relations, including measures of trust proposed by me some time ago. Establishment of the groups and their work that they will start immediately, I think, it will as early as next week, create prerequisites for preparing us to make our positions closer to such an extent that we could propose resumption of the extended talks in the format of 5+2 (Moldova and Transdnestr as parties in the conflict, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as mediators, the European Union and the United States as observers — REGNUM),” announced the Moldovan president. He pointed it out that they came to an agreement that “all constraints are lifted for entrance of Moldova’s leadership to Transdnestr.” “And I immediately address the European Union asking to lift limitations for movement of Transdnestr leadership in European countries,” Vladimir Voronin added.

Commenting on the meeting, Igor Smirnov announced: “I had two questions on the agenda. The first one was to deliver the treaty on friendship and cooperation between the Transdnestr Moldovan Republic and the Republic of Moldova, which to our mind, taking into account all referenda held, would be the solution to all questions. The second issue is to lift all economic sanctions and other barriers in movement of people and goods in order to continue our work. This was the context in which Vladimir Nikolayevich (Vladimir Voronin, the president of Moldova) underscored his readiness to establish the work groups. I can hear protests right now: “There were groups, they functioned, the result is known. What’s the sense of going back to it?” I will give a simple answer: “It is even worse not to do anything.” So we shall be working and supervise the process. The work will be carried out taking into account additional powers to Foreign Minister Valery Litskai from my side (in providing for functioning of the groups) and Reintegraion Minister Mr. Shova from the side of Vladimir Nikolayevich.”

Smirnov noted that “after a statement of the Moldovan leader that there will be an address to the European community to lift restrictions for movement, we shall also lift the restrictions for entrance of Moldovan officials to the territory of the Moldovan Transdnestr Republic apart from those needing security guard and special conditions for moving.” The presidents expressed “cautious optimism about the future negotiation process.”

The Transdnestr president drew special attention to “the need to fulfill the principle of equal parties, an agreement on which had been reached before.” Igor Smirnov noted that “a stable viable solution cannot be found under constant pressure upon one of the parties in the conflict.”

“I think that fulfilling the will of our people and fulfilling the will of the Moldovan people, I mean Vladimir Nikolayevich, we shall find a common language towards settlement of the problems. The main objective is that it does not disturb lives of the people in Moldova and the Transdnestr Moldovan Republic,” said Igor Smirnov.

On April 11, the Moldovan and Transdnestr leaders had talks in Bendery, Transdnestr. They had agreed to have the meeting during a phone talk on April 8.

It is worth reminding, the last meeting of the Moldovan and Transdnestr leaders took place on August 8, 2001; after that they did not meet within seven years. During that time, the negotiation process took pace in the form of 5+2 (with Moldova and Transdnestr as parties in the conflicts, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as mediators, and the European Union and the United States as observers — REGNUM), where the parties were represented by the heads of the foreign ministries: Valery Litskai from Transdnestr and Vasily Shova from Moldova.

On February 28, 2006, the second stage of the fourth round of the Transdnestr settlement talks was held in Tiraspol in the offices of the OSCE Mission. The talks were held behind the closed doors. More than four hours after the meeting started, members of the Moldovan delegation led by Reintegration Minister Vasily Shova left the meeting. First, the head of the OSCE mission William Hill, than member of the Transdnestr delegation Alexander Porozhan tried to stop Shova from leaving. However, Vasily Shova did not give up his intention and left the talks declining comments.

On March 3, 2006, Ukrainian customs checkpoints on the border of Ukraine and Transdnestr stopped passage of goods registered by the Transdnestr customs. On March 4, 2006, railway movement of goods and passengers via Transdnestr was fully suspended. Tiraspol considered the action as an “economic blockade” and refused to continue the negotiation process until a transit protocol is signed aimed at settling the customs crisis in Transdnestr.