The existing international format of negotiations aimed at settling the Transdniestria conflict should remain unchanged, and the participants in the talks should focus on settlement efforts as such rather than on some geopolitical games, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Our efforts are aimed at doing good groundwork for restoring the 5+2 format," Lavrov said at a press conference following negotiations with Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu on Friday.
The 5+2 format envisions involvement of representatives of the European Union, the OSCE, the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia plus Chisinau and Tiraspol.
"I hope all the other participants in this format will also facilitate this in their contacts with the other parties, without harboring any geopolitical schemes having no relation to the purpose of the soonest possible settlement of the Transdniestria conflict," Lavrov said when asked whether Russia would be in favor of changing the existing format of the negotiations.
"Nobody is setting up any 2+1 format," Lavrov said implying talks between Moscow, Chisinau, and Tiraspol.
"When, for instance, Mr. Mizsei, the European Union special representative for Transdniestria, travels to Chisinau and Tiraspol, nobody suspects the European Union of wishing to ruin the 5+2 format," Lavrov said.
Lavrov insisted that his recent trip to Moldova "does not mean any change in the formats."
"Any conflict, including that over Transdniestria, can be settled only through direct agreements between the parties," he said.
"As for various formats involving external players, they should be used chiefly to prompt the parties to hold direct talks and facilitate an agreement between them," he said.
"As a participant in the 5+2 format, Russia is using its resources to facilitate this and to help set up a productive foundation, which would enable the parties to resume the negotiating process both directly and within the 5+2 format," he said.
Source: Interfax-Ukraine
