GOR HOPEFUL FOR TRANSNISTRIA NEGOTIATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000988 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2018 TAGS: PREL PBTS OSCE MD RS SUBJECT: GOR HOPEFUL FOR TRANSNISTRIA NEGOTIATIONS REF: MOSCOW 882 Classified By: Acting Political M/C Bob Patterson. Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) GOR Special Envoy for the Transnistria conflict Valeriy Nesterushkin told us April 10 that since the April 7 Voronin - Smirnov telephone conversation where the two agreed to meet, the atmosphere has taken a dramatically positive turn. He expected the April 14-16 meeting in Odessa would be more than a symbolic 5 plus 2 and in fact might produce substantive discussions for the resolution of the conflict. Nesterushkin informed us that Transnistrian "FM" Litskai survived the April 2 confidence vote for another three months while Moldovan FM Sova kept his post after the cabinet shuffle, leaving the two core members of the negotiation team intact. Nesterushkin looked forward to meeting DAS Merkel in Odessa. OSCE Moldova Head of Mission Remler and EU Special Envoy Miszei will also be present at the meeting, while Ukraine will be represented by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Moldova Perashkov, a temporary replacement for Veselovskiy. ¶2. (C) Nesterushkin welcomed Voronin and Smirnov's agreement to meet. The GOR had long maintained that without direct negotiation between the two partners in conflict, there would be no resolution. For the last seven years, during which the leaders had refused to meet, the gap between the two sides had widened until the negotiation process collapsed in 2006. The date and place of the Voronin - Smirnov meeting is being worked out and could be announced after the Odessa meeting. "Resuming a political dialogue will unlock many doors of cooperation between the two sides, which would make finding a suitable model of co-existence easier," Nesterushkin added. ¶3. (C) Nesterushkin reiterated the GOR's respect for Moldova's territorial integrity. He underscored that the key task for all involved was to reach an agreement on Transnistria acceptable to both parties. RUSSELL