The delegations of Moldova and Transnistria have today begun in Odessa (Ukraine) official consultations with the international mediators to the Transnistrian conflict settlement - the representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Their objective is to persuade Chisinau and Tiraspol to restart the frozen negotiation process.

The Russian Federation's Representative at the Transnistrian conflict negotiations, Ambassador-at-Large Valery Nesteroushkin told journalists today that the day before the mediators and observers [the United States and the European Union] had discussed "how to prompt the conflicting sides to full-scale negotiations. The mediators do not have a synonymous assessment of how to do this. Everything will depend on the separate meetings with the sides' representatives - Moldovan Minister of Reintegration Vasile Sova and Transnistrian minister of foreign affairs Valery Litkai".

In his words, these are going to be fairly complicated consultations, although "there is optimism, albeit very cautious one, that the parties will agree to some reasonable solutions on the basis of the draft Transit Protocol".

The Chisinau-Tiraspol negotiations were ceased in late February 2006 when the Moldovan delegation left the room, having accused Tiraspol of intractability. The following month, Ukraine introduced, on Moldova's request, a new regime of customs clearance for Transnistria's exports and imports. Tiraspol perceived that step as an economic blockade of the region, and refused to continue the talks until blockade lifting.

Sources close to the negotiating parties told Infotag that the Transnistrian delegation leader is going to propose - as a compromise to settle the disputes about talks resumption - the signature of the so-called "Transit Protocol". Tiraspol believes the availability of such document would prevent the application of economic leverage for achieving political goals at the negotiations.

Earlier, when Tiraspol proposed to sign such protocol, the Moldovan delegation refused even to take the draft of this document in hands. That's why some experts are not ruling out now that Chisinau may refuse to discuss the protocol question.

Infotag correspondent reported from Odessa today the interlocutors are not discussing the new proposals on conflict settlement presented recently by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel de Gucht.

Amb. Nesteroushkin also told journalists the drafts of some OSCE documents on Transnistrian conflict settlement may not, so far, be considered as officially proposed documents. He said the OSCE representatives say themselves they intend to collect assessments, recommendations, considerations from all parties concerned, after which the document will be finished up and officially presented.

Last week, Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin said in his interview with Infotag that it was premature yet to comment the OSCE proposals. In his words, it is necessary to combine them with other plans and to hear the conflicting sides' opinions.

So far, no reaction to Karel de Gucht's suggestion has followed from either Chisinau or Tiraspol. Stories appeared in the Moldovan press that the Gucht plan is but a return to the Kozak Memorandum that stipulated unification of Moldova and Transnistria through federalization.

Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov stated last week that as many as 7 plans of Transnistrian settlement exist already, but a real accord can only be achieved through negotiations of the conflicting sides.