OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2009. Prospects of settling the Transnistrian conflict have been the main subject of a meeting between Speaker and acting President Mihai Ghimpu and the special representative of the OSCE's chairmanship, Charalambos Christopoulos, on a visit to Moldova, the parliament's media relations directorate has said.

Ghimpu positively appreciated the role of the OSCE and its mission in Moldova as mediator and reliable partner in the process of settling the Transnistrian conflict. He pointed out the fact that the OSCE remains an important dialogue partner in efforts to reintegrate the Moldovan state.

At the same time, Ghimpu regretted the fact that official negotiations in the five-plus-two format have not been resumed yet, and the latest OSCE Council of Ministers failed to adopt a regional declaration on Moldova for the seventh time in a row.

Ghimpu said that the Moldovan authorities will consistently promote measures of bolstering confidence between the two banks of the Dniester, of developing dialogue with the administration, business environment and civil society from the Transnistrian region. We recognize Tiraspol as partner at the negotiating table, but we will not recognize its status of legal subject, Ghimpu said.

The acting president reiterated the position of principle of the Moldovan authorities concerning the complete withdrawal of the Russian troops from Moldova and the transformation of the current peacekeeping operation into an international mission of civil observers.

Charalambos Christopoulos welcomed Moldova's initiative to suspend the EU's travel ban on some Transnistrian leaders. He noted that this is an important step in the resumption of dialogue.