CHISINAU, March 29. /TASS/. The authorities of Transnistria have called on the OSCE to take a more active stance at the five plus two negotiations (by Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and observers from the US and the EU) on the settlement of the conflict, Transnistria’s Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev, the unrecognized republic’s chief delegate at the talks has said. The talks have been stalled for several years. We have been observing the OSCE’s certain passivity for a long time, and this by no means helps normalize the situation, Ignatiev said in an interview with the local broadcaster Radio 1. He recalled that over the past year alone Moldova created several new problems in relations with Transnistria. The import of medicines and food products has been blocked. A legal act has been adopted on criminal prosecution for separatism. The terrorist attacks masterminded by the Security Service of Ukraine in February March against the leadership of Transnistria and representatives of the OSCE complicated the situation still further, Ignatiev added. He also recalled that the attacks had been prevented and their organizers were detained. Ignatiev previously expressed concern over attempts to break the five plus two mechanism in order to bar Russia from the negotiations to resolve the conflict, and block Transnistria’s access to this platform for equal dialogue. He confirmed the openness of the Transnistrian side to staying in touch with Moldova at any level. Earlier, mediators noted the objective reasons for the freezing of the five plus two negotiation formula against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Kiev and Moscow. The last five plus two meeting was held in October 2019 in Bratislava. The participants then failed to agree on and sign a final document. The negotiation process was stalled after the election of Maia Sandu as Moldova’s president. She was quick to make a number of harsh statements against Tiraspol. The political instability in Chisinau by no means contributed to the dialogue.

Text to Speech

Select Voice

Volume

1

Rate

1

Pitch

1

CHISINAU, March 29. /TASS/. The authorities of Transnistria have called on the OSCE to take a more active stance at the five plus two negotiations (by Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and observers from the US and the EU) on the settlement of the conflict, Transnistria’s Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev, the unrecognized republic’s chief delegate at the talks has said. The talks have been stalled for several years. We have been observing the OSCE’s certain passivity for a long time, and this by no means helps normalize the situation, Ignatiev said in an interview with the local broadcaster Radio 1. He recalled that over the past year alone Moldova created several new problems in relations with Transnistria. The import of medicines and food products has been blocked. A legal act has been adopted on criminal prosecution for separatism. The terrorist attacks masterminded by the Security Service of Ukraine in February March against the leadership of Transnistria and representatives of the OSCE complicated the situation still further, Ignatiev added. He also recalled that the attacks had been prevented and their organizers were detained. Ignatiev previously expressed concern over attempts to break the five plus two mechanism in order to bar Russia from the negotiations to resolve the conflict, and block Transnistria’s access to this platform for equal dialogue. He confirmed the openness of the Transnistrian side to staying in touch with Moldova at any level. Earlier, mediators noted the objective reasons for the freezing of the five plus two negotiation formula against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Kiev and Moscow. The last five plus two meeting was held in October 2019 in Bratislava. The participants then failed to agree on and sign a final document. The negotiation process was stalled after the election of Maia Sandu as Moldova’s president. She was quick to make a number of harsh statements against Tiraspol. The political instability in Chisinau by no means contributed to the dialogue.