Durind a visit to Chisinau, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, called on January 17 for the resumption of talks to settle the Transnistria conflct. Kanerva was referring to the 5+2 process that brings to the negociating table Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as mediators, the European Union and United States as observers, and the two parties represented by the Moldovan government and the secessionist authorities in Tiraspol.
After a visit to Kiev and Odesa, Kanerva visited Moldova, including its Transnistria region, as part of his first trip as OSCE Chairman-in-Office. In Chisinau, the Chairman-in-Office met Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, Parliamentary Speaker Marian Lupu and Andrei Stratan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In Tiraspol, he met the leadership of Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region.
Kanerva also said it would be an important step if both sides found at first solutions for practical matters such as the present restrictions on freedom of movement and the interruption of communications links.
After a visit to Kiev and Odesa, Kanerva visited Moldova, including its Transnistria region, as part of his first trip as OSCE Chairman-in-Office. In Chisinau, the Chairman-in-Office met Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, Parliamentary Speaker Marian Lupu and Andrei Stratan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In Tiraspol, he met the leadership of Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region.
Kanerva also said it would be an important step if both sides found at first solutions for practical matters such as the present restrictions on freedom of movement and the interruption of communications links.