Moldovan Foreign Minister addresses OSCE PC, says dialogue must continue in critical times, warns of spillover effect of Ukraine's crisis

VIENNA, 8 May 2014 - Natalia Gherman, Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova addressed the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today.

She said the OSCE community is now passing through a challenging period, with new dividing lines emerging. However, Gherman noted, even in most critical situations the Organization must serve as a key platform for dialogue, the OSCE norms and commitments should continue to govern relations between states, and the OSCE should be continuously involved in crisis diplomacy efforts searching for peaceful responses.

“The political, territorial and military implications of the crisis in Ukraine have shaken the very foundations of international law, and questions the nature of political partnership and security on the continent,” Gherman said. She added that preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its international recognized borders, holding an inclusive dialogue among political actors representing all parts of the country, and taking urgent actions aimed at de-escalating the situation in and around Ukraine, are priorities. “We add our voice to the appeals for full implementation of the Geneva statement of 17 April 2014 by all relevant players, and strongly support the activity of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.”

Minister said there are sufficient reasons to be worried about a possible spillover effect of the crisis in Ukraine, especially in the context of the unresolved Transdniestrian conflict. “Regretfully, the conflict resolution process has not been registering substantive progress in recent months,” she said. “Moreover, increasing number of unilateral actions has undermined the fragile trust and brought much more confrontation into the dialogue between Chisinau and Tiraspol.”

Gherman expressed her hope that the next round of the 5+2 talks on the Transdniestrian settlement will take place in early June this year, as planned, and reiterated the call to open talks on the political and security aspects of the conflict. Among key issues that require attention of the international partners involved in the conflict resolution process she quoted the situation in the Security Zone, Moldovan Latin-script schools, and access of farmers to their land situated beyond the administrative line.

She also called on the actors within the 5+2 to contribute to restoring the capability of the OSCE Mission to Moldova to fully implement its mandate throughout the entire territory of the country.

European integration agenda is the strategic priority of Moldova, Gherman said, with visa-free regime for Moldovan citizens introduced in the end of April, and the EU-Moldova association Agreement to be signed by the end of June. European integration, she stressed, is the most efficient way to facilitate the conflict settlement and to re-unify the country.

She praised the co-operation with OSCE institutions, citing, among other examples, the work with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities on Latin-script schools and the key role of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights "in organizing election observation mission in the context of parliamentary elections" later this year.

The OSCE Permanent Council is one of the main regular decision-making bodies of the Organization bringing together representatives of all 57 OSCE participating States. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make decisions.