Moldova, Ukraine Should Ensure Against Steps Harming Transnistria - Moscow

Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Gubarev on Thursday urged Moldova and Ukraine to provide guarantees that none of the sides would take unilateral actions that might be harmful for Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria, in particular in terms of establishing border checkpoints.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The ambassador at large pointed out that the establishment of checkpoints should not be harmful for the economic agents of Transnistria, adding that the guarantees would be well-timed now.

"One of the pressing issues on the 5+2 format talks' agenda is the issue of getting guarantees from Ukraine and Moldova that in the framework of the settlement the sides will not take unilateral actions disadvantageous to one of the sides, in this case, Transnistria," Gubarev said during a round table.

In mid-February, Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip visited Kiev and agreed with the Ukrainian authorities on accelerating work on the establishment of border checkpoints. The total number of checkpoints is expected to amount to 13, while the first checkpoint started operating on May 31.

The Transnistrian conflict began in 1990 when the region, with its predominantly Russian and Ukrainian population, seceded from the Soviet Republic of Moldova for fear of Moldova's potential unification with Romania. The separation led to a conflict that ended in a ceasefire declared on July 21, 1992. Despite this fact, the conflict remains unresolved.

Since 2005, the talks on the Transnistria conflict's settlement have been held in the 5+2 format, which, apart from Transnistria and Moldova, includes the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States as mediators. The latest round was held on June 2-3, 2016 in Berlin.