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CHISINAU, July 7 (Itar-Tass) —— Intensification of bilateral cooperation and Transdniestrian settlement will dominate the agenda of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishchenko’s talks during his visit to Moldova to begin on Thursday, July 7.
“The purpose of the visit is to intensify bilateral dialogue qualitatively on the whole range of Ukrainian-Moldovan relations,” the Ukrainian Embassy in Chisinau told Itar-Tass.
Grishchenko plans to discuss specifically how to solve pressing issues of bilateral cooperation, including demarcation of the common border and settlement of ownership disputes so that both countries could focus on European integration.
In addition to political and economic aspects, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including in the field of ethnic minorities’ rights, occupies an important place in the Ukrainian delegation’s talks, the Embassy said.
Special attention will be paid to the resolution of the Transdniestrian conflict on the basis of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and with due regard to the interests of people living in the breakaway region.
The Transdniestrian Republic is formally a part of Moldova that has a predominantly non-Moldovan population and that has been seeking independence for itself since the very beginning of the 1990’s.
The standoff between the breakaway territory and Moldova’s central government escalated into a bloody armed conflict in 1992 where thousands of people lost lives or were severely wounded.
Russia’s peacekeepers were brought into the zone of the Transdniestrian conflict in 1992, which made it possible to stop the armed conflict.
The Moldovan government has submitted to the European Union a new Transdniestrian settlement strategy aimed at making Moldova more attractive to the residents of the breakaway Dniester region.
The Transdniestrian Republic is formally a part of Moldova that has a predominantly non-Moldovan population and that has been seeking independence for itself since the very beginning of the 1990’s.
Grishchenko will also visit the city of Bendery for talks with the leadership of Transdniester and meet with members of the Ukrainian community.
He is also scheduled to meet with acting President and Parliament Chairman Marian Lupu, Prime Minister Vlad Filat, other members of the Moldovan leadership.
Grishchenko will have talks with the leaders of parliamentary factions of the Liberal Party and the opposition Party of Communists, Mihai Ghimpu and Vladimir Voronin.