Moldovan foreign affairs minister participates in works of OSCE Ministerial Council held in Tirana

Chisinau, 4 December /MOLDPRES/ - Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Aureliu Ciocoi today participated, in videoconference format, in the works of the 27th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.  

The foreign affairs ministers of those 57 OSCE participating states tackled the developments in the security sector, which took place in Europe, as well as up-to-date issues on the Organization’s agenda on the political and military, economy and environment, as well as humanitarian dimensions.   

In his speech, Minister Aureliu Ciocoi paid increased attention to the frozen conflicts, which represent a serious threat to security in the entire OSCE area. The Moldovan official declared for the peaceful settlement of conflicts, with the observance of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and borders recognized internationally. He stressed the essential role of the preservation by the member states of the principle of indivisibility of security in the OSCE region.    

As for the Transnistrian conflict settlement process, the Moldovan diplomacy head expressed deep concern about the Tiraspol regime’s abuses, including the restrictions as to the free movement and serious worsening of human rights in Moldova’s Transnistrian region and called on the partners involved to positively contribute to remedying the situation.

Aureliu Ciocoi reiterated Moldova’s consistent position on the need to withdraw foreign troops and stocks of ammunitions from Moldova’s territory, in line with the status of neutrality provided for in the Constitution and the international commitments assumed by Russia within OSCE. In this respect, the minister expressed willingness to get involved into a constructive dialogue with the Russian side on concrete actions concerning the resumption of the process of destruction and evacuation of ammunitions from the Cobasna depots.

Referring to the peacekeeping operation in the region, held in accordance with the Moldovan-Russian ceasefire agreement from 21 July 1992, the foreign affairs minister found out the fulfillment by the peacekeeping operation of the goal of separation of forces and stabilization of the post-conflict situation. Or, the stability consolidated in the last decades, Ciocoi noted, need the adjusting of the peacekeeping operation to the new realities. In this respect, it is necessary to focus efforts on the promotion of confidence, comprehensive settlement of the conflict and the country’s reintegration.  Moldova is ready to get involved in a constructive dialogue with all factors involved, in order to adjust the current peacekeeping arrangement to the new goals and realities.   

photo: MAEIE