Agreement between Moldova and Ukraine on the organization of joint customs and border control at the Kuchurgan checkpoint is close to its implementation. The Ukrainian party has started to improve the existing infrastructure of the facility. It has been also confirmed by the governor of Odessa Oblast Mikheil Saakashvili during his inspection of the Kuchurgan border checkpoint this week. In particular, he has mentioned in a telephone conversation that work on implementation of the joint checkpoint is already being conducted.
It's important to note, Pridnestrovian officials emphasize it repeatedly that the Moldova's and Ukraine's decision to place joint customs and border control on the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian border has been accepted outside the negotiation process and is not adequate.
According to the Pridnestrovie's MFA, this measure aims to impose total economic and transport blockade on the republic, it will lead to considerable deterioration of the social and economic situation and can trigger destabilization in the entire region, including in the sphere of security.
The problem concerning the joint control by Moldova and Ukraine on the Pridnestrovian border remains one of the most sensitive issues of the negotiation process. At the end of the last year, through diplomatic channels, the Pridnestrovie's Foreign Affairs Ministry informed its international partners on possible negative consequences of this unilateral step of the neighboring countries and pushed for its cancellation. This problem was also discussed at the meeting with a new Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Cord Meier-Klodt.
