OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President encourages parliamentary dialogue between Chisinau and Tiraspol

CHISINAU, 21 May 2007 - The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Goran Lennmarker completed his first visit to Moldova last week, following an invitation from the Speaker of the Moldovan parliament, Marian Lupu.

The aim of the visit was to support democratic reforms in the country.

In a press statement in Chisinau on Friday, Lennmarker said he was "cautiously optimistic with regard to the settlement of the Transdniestrian problem. Negotiations in the 5+2 format should be started as soon as possible and they should be kept in this format."

In Chisinau, Lennmarker met the Chairman of the Moldovan Parliament, the Moldovan delegation to the OSCE PA, leaders of parliamentary factions and President Vladimir Voronin.

During his visit to Tiraspol, Lennmarker met the Chairman of the Transdniestrian Supreme Soviet, Evgeny Shevchuk, and members of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, as well as with the Transdniestrian leader, Igor Smirnov.

Lennmarker met with Transnistrian status negotiators in Chisinau and Tiraspol, as well as with other relevant officials.

"While it is the job of the governmental officials to negotiate solutions to frozen conflicts, it is the task of parliamentarians to make sure these solutions are accepted by the people they represent," Lennmarker said at the close of the visit. "Through the parliamentary dimension, the OSCE PA hopes to support the established negotiations framework."

Lennmarker also said it was important the conduct of local elections next month was in accordance with Moldova's commitments to the OSCE.