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German Foreign Ministry confirms Transdniestrian settlement talks in Berlin

Relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol chilled after the Transdniestrial leader accused Moldova and Ukraine of exerting coordinated pressure on the unrecognized republic through economic sanctions

Tiraspol, Transdniestria (archive) Vadim Denisov/ITAR-TASS

Tiraspol, Transdniestria (archive)

© Vadim Denisov/ITAR-TASS

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Tiraspol to support Russia’s initiatives on Transdniestrian settlements at talks in Berlin

BERLIN, May 31. /TASS/. Germany’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed on Tuesday that a 5+2 meeting on the Transdniestrian settlement, the first one since 2014, will be held in Berlin on June 2-3, 2016.

A ministry spokesman said the talks would take place at Berlin’s Villa Borsig, the Guest House of the federal minister for foreign affairs, and will be chaired by Cord Meier-Klodt, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement.

Talks in the 5+2 format, involving Moldova and Transdniestria as parties to the conflict, the OSCE as a mediator, Russia and Ukraine as guarantors and the European Union and the United States as observers, have been stuck for the second year. Only two out of five scheduled meetings were held in 2014. Relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol chilled after the Transdniestrial leader accused Moldova and Ukraine of exerting coordinated pressure on the unrecognized republic through economic sanctions.

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The parties, with the assistance of mediators, have recently reached an agreement to reset the negotiating process. However following several first meetings in March 2016 Moldovan and Transdniestrian representatives plunged into mutual accusations again.

Tiraspol insists on lifting restrictions on its foreign trade and transport communication Moldova imposed jointly with Ukraine. It also demands Moldova stop criminal prosecution of Transdniestrian officials, recognize Transdniestrian state documents and solve some other problems.

Chisinau expects concessions from Tiraspol on such issues as joint use of land, easing border crossing procedures, etc.

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Transnistria Germany Moldova

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