OSCE Chairman to Visit Moldova - 29 March, 2003

The Chairman of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will discuss with the Moldovan leadership issues related to the OSCE's participation in settling the Transdniestrian problem (in the early 1990s the territories with a mostly Russian-speaking population on the left bank of the Dniester proclaimed independence from Moldova and established the Transdniestrian Republic of Moldova. This triggered a bloody armed conflict between Chisinau and Tiraspol, the administrative centre of the self-proclaimed republic).

The statement of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna reads that Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will visit Chisinau and Tirsapol on April 2nd.

In addition, at Chisinau negotiations with the Moldovan leadership, in particular with Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and Foreign Minister Nicolae Dudau, the OSCE head will consider the intensification of the work of the bilateral commission involving representatives of Moldova, Transdniestria and the OSCE mediators - Russia and Ukraine.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will also hold Tiraspol negotiations with leader of the self-proclaimed Transdniestrian Republic of Moldova Igor Smirnov.