OSCE hosts meeting between Moldovan and Transdniestrian leaders

ROTTACH-EGERN, Germany, 20 June 2012 - Moldovan Prime Minister Vladimir Filat and Transdniestrian leader Yevgeny Shevchuk met today on the margins of an OSCE conference in the German town of Rottach-Egern.

The meeting took place at the start of a three-day conference on confidence-building measures organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova with the support of the German Government, which is bringing together leaders of the joint working groups between the sides and experts to discuss confidence-building measures in the security, social and economic fields.

Ambassador Erwan Fouéré, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process, said: “I am delighted by the discussion that took place today in a very positive atmosphere. We still have much work to do, but with each positive encounter we are building the trust needed to achieve a lasting settlement.”

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Jennifer Brush, said: “Today’s joint communiqué between Moldovan Prime Minister Filat and Transdniestrian leader Shevchuk demonstrates the improved climate for contact and co-operation across the Dniestr/Nistru river to the benefit of the people living on both banks. I am looking forward to further progress at the upcoming round of the 5+2 talks in July in Vienna.”

The official 5+2 negotiations on the Transdniestrian settlement, which includes representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the negotiation process - Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the US and the EU - were restarted in November last year, following a break of almost six years.