CHISINAU, August 1. /TASS/. Moldova wants to begin discussion of Transdniestria’s future status at the 5+2 talks, involving Moldova, Transdniestria, Russia, Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and observers from the European Union and the United States, Moldova’s Prime Minister Pavel Filip said on Monday.

Filip spoke at a joint news conference with Moldovan parliament speaker Andrian Candu dedicated to the results of the first six months’ work of Moldova’s new government.

"Regrettably, the talks are focusing only on socio-economic problems. But it is necessary to begin to discuss issues concerning this region’s status within the united country, and problems of security," he said. He agreed that the tactic of small steps to build up mutual trust, as recommended by the mediators, can yield progress at the talks.

According to Candu, the talks’ mediators support Chisinau’s commitment to settle the conflict by means of granting Transdniestria a special status within Moldova. However, in his words, this issues will be pointless in the next six months because of the presidential elections in Transdniestria planned for December. "At least, we have time to get prepared to such discussion, to elaborate a plan of actions and a draft status," he said.

Last week, the speaker said Moldova’s parliament plans to join the negotiating process. Lawmakers, in his words, want to update the concept of the Transdniestrian settlement and to vest Chisinau’s negotiators with more authorities.

In 2005, the Moldovan parliament passed a law establishing Transdnietria’s status as Moldova’s inseparable part. In response, Transdniestria organized a referendum in 2006 where 97.1% of participants voted for independence with subsequent free-will accession to Russia.