Guarantees, confidence measures and freedom of movement in focus of OSCE-supported '5+2' talks on Transdniestrian settlement

KYIV, 16 November 2010 - The development of a system of guarantees for the negotiating process, promotion of confidence-building measures and matters related to freedom of movement across the Dniestr/Nistru River were key topics discussed during an informal "5+2" meeting on the Transdniestrian settlement held in Kyiv today.

"Today's productive discussions were a positive signal in the run-up for the OSCE Summit in Astana on 1-2 December," said the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Protracted Conflicts, Ambassador Bolat Nurgaliyev.

"Frequent consultations allow participants to discuss the conflict parties' problems and concerns in an open and frank manner, and, crucially, contribute to their resolution. I hope that formal talks on the Transdniestrian settlement can resume in the near future, as all the necessary preconditions for this have been put in place."

The "5+2" format includes the sides (the Republic of Moldova and Transdniestria), and the mediators and observers (the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United States, OSCE and the EU). Today's meeting was the fifth meeting in this format in 2010, and Nurgaliyev stressed the importance of all the partners' active participation in the efforts of Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship in this process.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Konstantyn Gryshchenko, in opening remarks, emphasized Kyiv's support for renewed official negotiations.

During the meeting, it was agreed that representatives of Chisinau and Tiraspol would start taking stock of previously signed agreements with the assistance from the OSCE Mission to Moldova. Nurgaliyev called this "a necessary step in ensuring a system of guarantees for the settlement".

The meeting participants welcomed recent positive steps on establishing railway passenger transportation, optimization of export procedures, facilitation of the movement of goods between the two banks of the Dniestr/Nistru, as well as restoration of landline telephone communication.

Participants also agreed to intensify contacts in order to further advance efforts to solve problems related to ensuring confidence-building measures and held a detailed discussion on raising the effectiveness of the expert working groups on confidence-building measures.