A meeting between the PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to the Republic of Moldova Hubert Knirsch took place at the presidential executive office. The PMR Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev was invited to participate in the conversation.
Welcoming the guest, Vadim Krasnoselsky noted that this was his first direct meeting with Hubert Knirsch, although Pridnestrovian-German contacts within the framework of the "Permanent Conference..." format have a rich history. "Germany has traditionally provided dialogue platforms for meetings of both the 5+2 format and working groups, during which agreements were reached, various protocols were signed, that is, issues were resolved, and progress was made. Unfortunately, there is no negotiation process today," Vadim Krasnoselsky stated. Hubert Knirsch said his predecessors had maintained close and productive contact with the Pridnestrovian side, and that before his current – his first – visit to Pridnestrovie, he personally received up-to-date information from his colleagues, in particular Thomas Lenk and Izabela Sylwia Hartmann. "The mandate for resolving this conflict falls to the OSCE. One of those working on this is our colleague Thomas Lenk, who is the OSCE representative on this issue. We already have a tradition: when he comes to Chisinau, we meet with the ambassadors, he reports on the discussions, and we consult. The OSCE delegation is very engaged. Izabela Hartmann is seeking opportunities for progress at all levels and on all topics. It's good that this exists, and we are pleased with it. We are naturally dissatisfied with the fact that this is the only level of dialogue that exists. I understand that you are also dissatisfied with this situation, and there is a need to discuss fundamental issues in more detail in order to get closer to a solution," the German ambassador noted. The interlocutors discussed how Moldova disrupted the signing of the final documents in Bratislava in 2019, thereby stalling the work of the 5+2 format. The current state of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian dialogue and the level of interaction between the participants, mediators, and observers of the 5+2 format cannot be called a negotiation process, although every meeting is undoubtedly important, the President of the PMR emphasized. "I am deeply convinced of a simple truth: any conflicts must be resolved at the negotiating table. Of course, we can try other approaches. This is simply a waste of time and a high probability of negative scenarios, which complicates a return to the negotiating table. I hope that common sense will sooner or later prevail in Moldova and it will return to the negotiating table – a normal, simple, traditional one, known as the 5+2 format," Vadim Krasnoselsky noted.
The meeting participants emphasized their commitment to a productive, substantive discussion involving the exchange of information, opinions, and proposals.
Following the meeting in the presidential office, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to the Republic of Moldova Hubert Knirsch and his colleagues plan to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR and continue discussing issues of mutual interest with Pridnestrovian diplomats.
