Moldovan president meets EU special representative

President Vladimir Voronin has had a meeting with EU Special Representative for Moldova Kalman Miszei, the presidential press service has said.

The sides exchanged opinions about the prospects of resuming the Transnistrian settlement negotiations in the five plus two format (Moldova and Transnistria - the sides involved in the conflict; Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE - the mediators and the EU and the USA - the observers).

The officials underscored the need to strengthen the efforts of all the sides involved in the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict in order to identify a sustainable political solution to this issue. In the context, President Voronin spoke out for more active efforts on the part of the mediators and observers in the Transnistrian conflict settlement.

At the same time, the two sides expressed mutual interest in strengthening the dialogue between the European Union and Moldova. Voronin highlighted the importance for Moldova of the ongoing negotiations on the EU autonomous trade preferences and on the facilitation of the EU visa regime.

For his part, Kalman Miszei said that the EU-Moldova relations are on the rise, which instils optimism as to Moldova s progress along the European integration pathway.