Russian FM Lavrov: Moldova, Transnistria need to move away from extreme positions

The leaders of Moldova and its renegade province Transnistria must both make concessions to end their long-running so-called frozen conflict and bring regional stability, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on 21 June.

Lavrov made the comments prior to a round of talks in Moscow by the 5+2 Group, a diplomatic forum with participants from Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union and the self-proclaimed Republic of Transnistria.

Russian-speaking Transnistria seceded from Romanian-speaking Moldova in a civil war ending in 1992.

No country has recognised Transnistria’s de facto independence, although the territory has governed itself for almost two decades.

Transnistria’s government must accept that the international community will never allow the region the formal status of an independent nation, while Chininau for its part must accept that Transnistria must be semi-autonomous once it returns to Moldovan sovereignty, Lavrov said.

Both sides need to move away from extreme positions.