OSCE Chairmanship discusses prospects of Transdniestrian settlement

February 03, 2010

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The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for protracted conflicts, Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev, concluded a three-day visit to Moldova today.

During his visit Nurgaliyev discussed next steps in settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict with the acting president of the Republic of Moldova Mihai Ghimpu; Prime Minister Vlad Filat; Deputy Prime Minister Victor Osipov, the Moldovan chief negotiator for Transdniestrian conflict resolution; and with the leaders of the parliamentary groups, including the opposition. In Tiraspol Ambassador Nurgaliyev met the Transdniestrian leader Igor Smirnov, Speaker of the Supreme Soviet Anatol Kaminski and chief negotiator Vladimir Yastrebchak.

"The Transdniestrian conflict settlement process will remain a key priority during Kazakhstan's OSCE Chairmanship. We will work intensively to build upon what has been achieved during the 2009 Greek Chairmanship and to accelerate the negotiating process," said Nurgaliyev.

"We are encouraged by the frequent meetings between the two chief negotiators to resolve the problems faced by ordinary people on both sides of the Dniestr/Nistru River. Resolving these problems helps to build political trust and give a new impulse to the work of joint working groups."

Nurgaliyev said he looked forward to an informal "5+2" meeting in Vienna in March and agreed with the sides that the following meeting could take place in Astana.

"We will co-operate closely with the OSCE Mission to Moldova and with our partners in the 5+2 process - the mediators from the Russian Federation and Ukraine and observers from the U.S. and the EU - to make real progress on a comprehensive political solution to the conflict," he said.

Ambasassador Nurgaliyev announced that the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan's Secretary of State and Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev, is planning to visit Moldova in the near future.

OSCE