Conflict prevention and resolution

The Head of Mission, as the OSCE mediator, uses shuttle diplomacy to mediate between Chisinau and Tiraspol: s/he facilitates negotiations between the two Chief Negotiators and in the 13 thematic Working Groups. At the international level, the OSCE Chairmanships, in consultation with the mediators, convene meetings in the 5+2 format to mark the progress reached by the Sides on the ground and establish new objectives and timelines to advance the settlement process (Berlin, Vienna, Rome protocols). The 5+2 format includes the Republic of Moldova and Transdniestria as the Sides, the OSCE, Russian Federation, and Ukraine as the Mediators, and the European Union and the United States as the Observers.

Since the 5+2 meeting in Berlin in 2016, the Sides have agreed to work on eight confidence-building measures, which make up the “Berlin-plus” package. As of today, the Sides have recorded major achievements on the six agreements, which have improved the day-to-day life of students, teachers, farmers, entrepreneurs on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. Substantial progress has been reached in the implementation of the telecommunication agreement.

It is up to the Sides to define the special status for Transdniestria within the Republic of Moldova. The agreements reached within the “Berlin-plus” package have started this process.

Since 1994, the Mission has participated as an observer in the Joint Control Commission (JCC). In keeping with the 2004 Agreement on the Principles of Co-operation between the Mission and the JCC, the Mission gathers and provides information on the situation in the Security Zone. In this respect, it regularly shares its findings with all the delegations to the JCC and the 57 OSCE participating States.