Providing advice and expertise

The primary objective of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, which was established in February 1993, is to facilitate the achievement of a lasting, comprehensive political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict in all its aspects.

The Mission's activities consist of the following:

• facilitating the establishment of a comprehensive political framework for dialogue and negotiations and assisting the parties to the conflict in pursuing negotiations on a lasting political settlement of the conflict, consolidating the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova along with an understanding about a special status for the Transdniestrian region;
• gathering and providing information on the situation in the region, including the military situation, investigating specific incidents and assessing their political implications;
• encouraging the participating States concerned in pursuing negotiations on an agreement on the status and the early, orderly and complete withdrawal of foreign troops;
• providing advice and expertise, as well as a framework for other contributions, on human and minority rights, democratic transformation, repatriation of refugees, and the definition of a special status of the Transdniestrian region;
• initiating a visible OSCE presence in the region and establishing contacts with all parties to the conflict, local authorities and population.

Expansion of the mandate

On 9 December 1999, the scope of the mandate was expanded by Permanent Council Decision No. 329 to include:

• ensuring transparency of the removal and destruction of Russian ammunition and armaments;
• co-ordinating financial and technical assistance to facilitate such withdrawal and destruction.