The mediators to the Transnistrian conflict settlement have handed in to Chisinau and Tiraspol a package of proposals aimed at reducing weapons and ammunition in the region and at consolidating trust between the conflicting sides. The document was delivered on behalf of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Rupel, Moldovan Minister of Country Reintegration Vasile Sova told Infotag.
Sova explained he had received the proposals during a meeting he had with the mediators on Tuesday - the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova William Hill; Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Valery Nesteroushkin; Ambassador-at-Large of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitro Tkach as well as Russian and Ukrainian Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Moldova - Nikolai Ryabov and Petro Chaly. After the meeting, they went to Tiraspol to hand in the proposals to the Transnistrian administration.

Minister Sova refrained from commenting the document, saying only it will be thoroughly considered. However, he confirmed that the mediators propose to reduce the Moldovan and Transnistrian armed forces, but do not mean to liquidate them as such. As soon as the document has been studied, Chisinau will offer its official assessment to the public. Vasile Sova failed to answer whether or not Moldova will be able to put its signature under such document.

Russian Ambassador-at-Large Valery Nesteroushkin said the document is based on similar acts used in other conflict regions of Europe, is aimed at a better openness and better exchange of information between Chisinau and Tiraspol concerning arms available and armed forces reduction. The proposals envisage also a "zero variant" with respect to the armed forces of Moldova and Transnistria, said the Russian diplomat. During the meeting, Minister Sova handed in to the foreign mediators the draft Law on the Main Principles of Special Legal Status for the Transnistrian Region of Moldova. This bill has been drafted in conformity with the Ukraine-offered Plan of Transnistrian conflict settlement. In the nearest days, it will be completed and passed over to the Parliament's Permanent Bureau.