Tiraspol, 7 February. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The Tiraspol office of the OSCE Mission, which has become a traditional mediation venue for the negotiations between Tiraspol and Kishinev, hosted the first in four months meeting of the political representatives of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, Vitaly Ignatyev and Gheorghe Bălan.
The diplomats met last time in October 2016 in Kishinev after a long pause, during which Kishinev was defiantly delaying the performance of the «home work» on the outcome of the Berlin protocol and with the participation of Ukraine managed to block fuel supplies to Pridnestrovie. As early as last autumn Pridnestrovie'e foreign minister Vitaly Ignatyev noted with regret that the dialogue between the sides had significantly degraded «because of the Moldovan side's unreadiness for substantive and result-oriented work».
Since then the Pridnestrovian side has repeatedly called for the resumption of the meetings of political representatives and international talks in the «5+2» format. For the past four months, the appeals of Pridnestrovie's MFA have been the voice crying in the wilderness, while in Moldova public activists were drawing «red lines», claimed «pressure» on the part of mediators and urged to avoid making concessions to Pridnestrovie.
«There has been an ungrounded semi-annual pause, which prevented us from holding the «Permanent conference…' meetings. I haven't learnt so far a clear position of any participant about the reasons why it became possible. Taking into consideration that the problems do not only remain unresolved on the negotiating table but also increase in number in view of the unilateral actions by Moldova, sometimes with the support of Ukrainian partners," Vitaly Ignatyev explained to journalists.
The long pause in the negotiations was interrupted on Tuesday, 7 February. Moldovan negotiator Gheorghe Bălan finally responded to Pridnestrovie's invitation and came to a working meeting in Tiraspol. Bălan explained failures to respond to the Pridnestrovian proposals about the meeting of negotiators by the electoral processes in Moldova and Pridnestrovie, saying that he intends to meet more often from this time on.
The diplomats talked for nearly three hours. The items on the negotiating agenda were the same — railway issues, pressure on Pridnestrovian citizens in Kishinev airport, fulfilment of the Berlin protocol, including the recognition of Pridnestrovie-issued university diplomas and licence plates, a compromise over the telecommunication problem, the problem of politically motivated criminal charges. New items were also added, among which is the removal of five tonnes of ammonia from the Tiraspol meat processing factory.
Railway issue
The procedure for importing cargoes by rail to Pridnestrovie has remained unadjusted so far, in consequence of which both economic agents and railway are suffering large losses. Earlier, the 2012 agreement on railway traffic through Pridnestrovie was extended for one more year. However, a decision has not been made up to now to import fuel through the Ukraine-Pridnestrovie border crossing Slobodka-Kolbasna. The Moldovan government's decree suggesting the importation of fuel to Pridnestrovie will expire this July.
«We have asked the Moldovan side to provide the full-fledged transit of fuel via Pridnestrovie through the border crossings both in the north and in the south," Vitaly Ignatyev told journalists.
The Pridnestrovian diplomat noted, at the same time, that the railway problem had arisen as a result of a breach of the 2012 agreement.
«No additional agreement is necessary to return to the status quo. You just need to faithfully fulfil the commitments," explained Ignatyev.
In September 2016, the Pridnestrovian side submitted a package of proposals to resolve this issue. Today, according to the minister, there are «positive expectations in this regard».
«The Moldovan side has a certain interest to increase the amount of goods imported through Pridnestrovie," said Ignatyev, explaining that this is beneficial to economic entities both in Moldova and in Pridnestrovie.
The settlement of this problem will come to a dead end, the diplomat says, if it is moved again to the political realm. «If our Moldovan colleagues do not politicise this issue, there are grounds for moving forward," explained Ignatyev.
Environmental issues
The political representatives also discussed the issue of the removal of five tonnes of ammonia amassed at the premises of JSC Tiraspol Meat Processing Factory. The matter concerns the need to sign an agreement similar to that on the removal of sources of ionising radiation from the territory of Pridnestrovie.
«There are signals from our Russian partners about their readiness to assist in removing this toxic waste," said Ignatyev, noting that Russia is ready to help solve the problem through its ministry of emergency situations.
New incidents in Kishinev Airport
Two weeks ago, the minister of regional development, Nikolay Gliga, was «unjustly detained and subjected to additional search» at Kishinev Airport. Such incidents at Kishinev Airport, when Pridnestrovian officials are subjected to intensive searches, are systemic. Pressure is also exerted on Russian citizens residing in Pridnestrovie.
«The political representative of Moldova has assured us he will give certain impetus to the corresponding services to exclude the recurrence of such destructive elements," said Ignatyev, following today's talks.
Berlin Protocol
In the course of the meeting, the negotiators also touched upon the Berlin Protocol signed in June 2016 after a meeting of the «Permanent conference…» It is seen by the sides as a certain roadmap to solve the most pressing humanitarian problems. Pridnestrovie and Moldova had to make progress in this direction back in the summer of 2016, but Kishinev deliberately failed to accomplish the commitments — «homework» — made after the last meeting in the «5+2» international format. As a result, the settlement of the issues related to recognition of Pridnestrovie-issued education certificates and licence plates, as well as telecommunication problems, came to a complete standstill.
The issue of apostille certification of university diplomas bumps into Pridnestrovian State University: Kishinev objects to the word «state» being used in apostille certificates. The Pridnestrovian side earlier put forth about five alternative solutions to the problem, including the use of the university's abbreviation. The Moldovan side, however, does not agree with them, apparently fearing that issuing PSU's apostille certificates will mean recognition of the Pridnestrovian statehood.
«This is a humanitarian problem which can be easily resolved if our Moldovan colleagues refuse to politicise this issue," said Ignatyev, underscoring that «to block the settlement of this issue and pick on the university's name are inadmissible.»
«5+2» format meeting
According to Gheorghe Bălan, a meeting of the «Permanent conference…» in the international «5+2» format may take place as early as this spring.
«I think, may be, in March or April," he said.
Vitaly Ignatyev, in turn, noted that the sides propose organising a meeting of the «Permanent conference…» in the near future.
«It is necessary to use the mechanisms of the international negotiating venue in maximum, at 100%," noted Ignatyev.
It is necessary to achieve a result in at least one sphere by the time of a possible meeting. Despite the efforts of the Pridnestrovian side, expert (working) groups have failed to work out draft solutions, although the Berlin Protocol was signed eight months ago.
«Throughout the entire last year, Pridnestrovie was elaborating package proposals on the whole range of problems in relations with Moldova. If our Moldovan colleagues are ready to consider these proposals, we, together with Mr Bălan, can meet even every day and each meeting will end with some kind of solution. But this is only possible in case Kishinev has the political will," said the Pridnestrovian diplomat.
The political will is what Kishinev has not shown for a long time, preferring traditional formal statements to specific actions. Judging from recent months, Kishinev is not going to abandon the tactics of lingering out the negotiations, which has long been a strategic goal for Moldova.
Gheorghe Bălan admits that the main obstacle to solving humanitarian issues of vital importance is politicising them. And at the same time, it is Kishinev that avoids making steps towards the implementation of the Berlin Protocol, fearing that in this way it will make concessions to Pridnestrovie.
Alexander Koretsky
