18.05.2010 15:33 | Interfax-Ukraine
The Moldovan government welcomes the involvement of international partners in the Transdniestrian settlement and expresses readiness to resume the 5+2 talks without preconditions, Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat said. "The Moldovan government states its readiness to immediately and without any precondition resume constructive talks in the 5+2 format," the government's statement publicized by Filat at a briefing reads.
Chisinau welcomes "the involvement of international partners in the Transdniestrian settlement in order to find comprehensive and viable resolution based on the cornerstone principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova," Filat said.
"Noting the role of the current peacekeeping operation in stabilizing the situation after the military conflict ended, the Moldovan government speaks in favor of starting consultations on transforming the peacekeeping forces into a multinational civil mission with an international status," the statement reads.
"The Moldovan government favors diminishing the military factor in the region, including by means of the full withdrawal of Russian arms from the Transdniestrian territory and a military contingent that guards them," Filat said.
Speaking about Moldova's position on a joint statement of Russian and Ukrainian presidents, Filat said that "the reintegration process is the government's priority," while "a number of moves to approach the parties' positions in the 5+2 format and strengthen security measures have been taken" recently.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych signed on May 17 a statement in which they favored the peaceful Transdniestrian settlement with respect to Moldova's territorial integrity.
The talks in the 5+2 format are held between Moldova, Transdniestra, Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE, with the European Union and the United States as observers.
