Wolf Dietrich Heim: Progress in Moldo-Pridnestrovian settlement among priorities of Austria's OSCE chairmanship

Tiraspol, 19 January. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Wolf Dietrich Heim has come to Pridnestrovie.

First of all, the diplomat met Pridnestrovian President Vadim Krasnoselsky. The sides discussed pressing issues in Moldo-Pridnestrovian relations, including politically motivated charges brought in Moldova against Pridnestrovian citizens and a railway problem.

«Within the OSCE we have the basis for further work and the continuation of the achievements made by the German chairmanship," noted Heim.

The diplomat said the OSCE chairman-in-office, Austria's foreign minister, Sebastian Kurz, was looking forward to visiting Kishinev and Tiraspol, which is due in two weeks.

«Therefore, now is a unique moment for setting up the issues that we must resolve. We must do as much as possible to prepare the ground for the following meetings in the '5+2' format which may take place at the end of the year," said Heim.

He noted he wanted to learn the opinion of the Pridnestrovian leaders on which issues are of most concern to Tiraspol. «This will enable us to understand better what can be achieved during Austria's chairmanship," explained Heim.

The Austrian diplomat maintained that progress in the Moldo-Pridnestrovian settlement process was among the priorities of the Austrian chairmanship this year and expressed readiness for further cooperation.

Vadim Krasnoselsky noted, in turn, that Vienna was a traditional venue for meetings on the settlement of the Moldo-Pridnestrovian conflict in the «5+2» format and expressed hope that the Austrian chairmanship would help the sides to resolve a number of long-standing problems.

Vadim Krasnoselsky recalled that he had voiced those issues during his meeting with Moldovan President Igor Dodon on 4 January in Bendery. «During the meeting, I suggested that the citizens of both Moldova and Pridnestrovie should not be hostages to political decisions. We must work to make their lives as easy as possible," said the president.

The sides also touched upon the issue of politically motivated charges brought against Pridnestrovian citizens in Moldova. «It's not a secret that there are criminal cases against Moldovan citizens in Pridnestrovie. We are ready to review them," said Vadim Krasnoselsky.

Today, the Austrian diplomat will also meet the speaker of the parliament and Pridnestrovie's negotiator and acting foreign minister, Vitaly Ignatyev.