“OLVIA-PRESS”

KIMMO KILYUNEN, “FINAL RESOLUTION MAY BE ACHIEVED ONLY VIA NEGOTIATIONS”.

Delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly headed by its vice-Chairman Kimmo Kilyunen made an official visit to the Dniester Moldavian Republic.

During the day, European parliamentarians carried out meetings with the DMR Supreme Council Chairman Grigory Marakutsa and President Igor Smirnov. Present situation with relationship between Tiraspol and Kishinev and perspectives of Moldavian-Dniestrian settlement became the major topic of conversation. Talking about problems impeding full-scale dialogue between Moldova and Dniestria, Grigory Marakutsa drew attention of the OSCE representatives on non-respect of a whole number of bilateral agreements by Moldova.

The DMR Supreme Council Chairman remarked when talking to European parliamentarians, “Probably, some of these documents got old and this or that party does not satisfy the Moldavian side, as it happened for example with agreements of custom interaction. But the international practice shows that in such case the parties sit at a ‘round table’ and develop a new agreement together. As long as it does not exist, all previous documents should be in effect. But Moldova unilaterally broke agreements up”. Grigory Marakutsa reminded that Moldova was a parliamentary republic but the Moldavian Parliament has not even considered yet a single of dozen joint agreements signed by the RM and DMR Presidents. With such a position of the Moldavian authorities, it is very hard to talk about constructionism and efficiency of the dialogue.

Talking about perspectives of relationship between Kishinev and Tiraspol, Grigory Marakutsa emphasized that Dniestria as before remains devoted to principles of the common state confirmed by guarantor-countries and mediators. He said, “European experience is very important for us, and in particular, the example of efficient settlement of relationship between Serbia and Montenegro”. He remarked that such a model of resolving conflicts in Europe is rather close to proposals on interstate association put forward by Dniestria. Grigory Marakutsa also informed that European parliamentarians had invited Dniestrian representatives to participate in the OSCE Summit in Vienna where above all the Dniestrian issue would be considered.

The topic of relations between the DMR and RM became the central one also on meeting of the OSCE delegation with the president of Republic. Kimmo Kilyunen offered to carry out a seminar on settlement of that relationship with participation of parliamentarians from Dniestria and Moldova as well as guarantor-countries and international experts on basis of the Kiev draft agreement. Igor Smirnov gave a block of documents on history of negotiations to the Vice-Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. In opinion of the DMR President, familiarization and studying of all proposals fixed in Russian, Ukrainian, and Dniestrian projects will help European parliamentarians understand positions of the parties and reasons of tighten of the negotiation process.

Summing up the meeting with the President, Kimmo Kilyunen gave an interview to the press agency “Olvia-press” and informed, he “is rather content with essence of negotiations”. He said, “We have had an opportunity to make sure that in Tiraspol there is a good basis for efficient continuation of the dialogue”. He emphasized necessity of restarting negotiations between parliamentarians of both states. Besides, Kimmo Kilyunen also remarked, “it is important that the dialogue on highest level should be restarted”, that is on level of presidents. In his opinion, “it is necessary for fruitful settlement of contradictions”. The OSCE PA Vice-Chairman declared that final settlement of Moldavian-Dniestrian relationship is possible “only peacefully”, via negotiations.

The same day, the OSCE delegation visited the custom checkpoint in Kuchurgan for learning on the spot the way custom control of cargoes transported through the Dniestrian-Ukrainian is accomplished.