Ambassador Erwan Fouéré (l), the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process, alongside James C. O'Shea of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the OSCE, during official 5+2 talks, Vienna, 12 July 2012. (OSCE/Sonya Yee) .VIENNA, 13 July 2012 – Ambassador Erwan Fouéré, the Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process, welcomed the constructive dialogue at official 5+2 talks which concluded in Vienna today and urged participants to redouble efforts to achieve concrete progress.

“This latest round of talks has helped to solidify the positive results we have achieved so far since official negotiations resumed, which has in turn already contributed to bringing about some encouraging developments on the ground, including the restoration of freight rail traffic,” said Fouéré, who chaired the two-day meeting.

“We need to build on this positive momentum and move forward, on a basis of mutual trust and understanding, to address concrete issues as agreed by all participants. It is the aim of the Irish OSCE Chairmanship to encourage progress in the next weeks and months in all areas, to bring us closer to a comprehensive settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict.”

The meeting was conducted on the basis of the principles and procedures and agenda that were agreed at the last meeting in April, and which outlined the areas to be addressed, including socio-economic issues; legal and humanitarian issues and human rights; and institutional, political and security issues related to the comprehensive settlement.

Participants included the Moldovan and Transdniestrian Chief Negotiators Eugen Carpov and Nina Shtanski, as well as representatives of the mediators and observers. The 5+2 format includes representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the negotiation process – Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the US and the EU. Official negotiations were resumed in November 2011 following a hiatus of almost six years.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Vienna in September.

This round of talks took place in the premises of the Austrian Foreign Ministry by the kind hospitality of Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger.