“OLVIA-PRESS”

RESULTS OF MEETING IN MOSCOW: CONVENTIONAL FEDERATION EVEN SO.

As the press agency “Olvia-press” informs, on December 17^th-18^th 2002, in Moscow by initiative of the Russian side, there were carried out consultations on settlement of relationship between Kishinev and Tiraspol. The meeting passed within frames of the Permanent Conference on political issues of plenipotentiary representatives of Dniestria, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE.

Joint agreement of Kishinev and Tiraspol to continue consultations on “Declaration of intentions” adopted on December 5^th became one of main results of the meeting. As “Olvia-press” reminds, the document declares establishment of the federation on conventional basis as final goal of the negotiations. That time, Moldova denied signing of the declaration, despite the fact that, besides Dniestria, representatives of the guarantor-countries and mediators had put their signatures on such a statement. In opinion of Moldavian experts, the document opens perspectives of international recognition of statehood of Dniestria. Having given it up, Kishinev tried to ignore such a declaration at all. But during Moscow consultations the Moldavian side had to refuse its destructive position. Due to active contribution of guarantors and mediators, agreement of Kishinev to continue the work on “Declaration of intentions” together with Tiraspol is fixed in the final protocol of Moscow meeting.

Agreement of the parties to develop the final document on Moldavian-Dniestrian relationship on basis of all projects offered before is one more considerable point of the protocol. Namely such decision was contained in the declaration dated December 5^th, and Kishinev tried to avoid this very document anyway. The Moldavian side has undertaken numerous considerable steps for leading negotiations only to the Kiev project, which in fact proposes a unitary state. The Moldavian-American declaration on results of the meeting between the presidents Voronin and Bush contains the claim to consider exclusively that project. But Washington declaration did not influence upon adherence to principles of the guarantors’ position. They confirmed devotion to all documents and agreements achieved before. The Moldavian side had to agree with such a position.

Participants of the conference on political issues agreed to carry out the next meeting in January 2003 in Kishinev.