As delivered by Ambassador Daniel B. Baer to the Permanent Council
Vienna, March 6, 2014
The United States takes note of the first round of 5+2 Talks on the Transnistrian Conflict under the Swiss Chairmanship, which took place in Vienna on February 27 and 28, and welcomes the signing of a protocol decision on freedom of movement.
We encourage both sides to take practical steps towards a settlement of this longstanding conflict. We support calls for new high-level contacts between the Moldovan Prime Minister and the Transnistrian leader, which could give additional impetus to the settlement process.
We support the efforts of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister, Didier Burkhalter, his Special Representative for the Transnistrian Settlement Process, Radajko Bogojevic of Serbia, and the OSCE Mission to Moldova in their work to facilitate progress in the settlement process.
The United States strongly supports efforts to promote a peaceful settlement of the Transnistria conflict—one that respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova and provides a special status for Transnistria.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
