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Official negotiations on the Transdniestrian settlement will begin in Dublin on Tuesday, 28 February. The two-day meeting will bring together representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the negotiations – Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the US and the EU.

During the meeting, the principles and procedures for the conduct of negotiations will be discussed. This is only the second official meeting in the 5+2 format following a nearly six-year hiatus.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore, will open the meeting, which will be chaired by Ambassador Erwan Fouéré, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process.

The Transdniestrian conflict dates back to 1990 when separatists declared the region independent from Moldova.  In spring 1992 the conflict between the Transdniestrian authorities and the central government in Chisinau escalated, resulting in several hundred casualties and more than 100,000 refugees.  A ceasefire was agreed in July 1992 and the parties committed themselves to negotiate a settlement to the conflict.  Most of the refugees returned home.  Since 1993, the OSCE has supported efforts to find a comprehensive, durable and peaceful solution to the conflict.  The talks on a settlement comprised the sides to the conflict - Moldova and Transdniestria and the OSCE, Russian Federation and Ukraine as mediators.  In 2005 the EU and USA joined the process as observers and the format became known as the “5+2”.  The official “5+2” negotiations were suspended in February 2006, and were resumed only in November 2011.