Russian State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin conducted consultations at the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and was received by Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca in Chisinau on June 10.
“The Russian side pointed out that Moldova’s plans to sign an association agreement with the EU on June 27 can add complications to the development of bilateral economic relations and may become a serious test for them,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement summing up the outcomes of Karasin’s visit to Chisinau.
“It was pointed out in this connection that expert consultations between officials from the two countries’ economic agencies in Chisinau on June 9-10 would be important in helping specify the conditions of further interaction without significant losses. Both parties reaffirmed that they would like them to pass in as substantive a manner as possible,” it said.
Along with relevant aspects of bilateral interaction, the parties discussed issues related to the negotiating process on the settlement of the conflict over Transdniestria in the context of a round of negotiations in the 5+2 format that finished in Vienna the day before.
The negotiators “stressed the importance of continuing the work on practical aspects of interaction between Chisinau and Tiraspol toward implementing the strategy of small steps and preventing Transdniestria’s economic blockade,” it said.
“In the course of the conversations, both parties emphasized their determination to develop dynamic and constructive relations, in which an important role belongs to the development of a political dialogue and a substantive agenda of high-level contacts,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
