CHISINAU. Aug 26 (Interfax) - Plans to hold a regular round of talks on Transdniestrian settlement in the 5+2 format in Vienna on September 11 and 12 may be called off.
"We have not made the final decision and we still have time to settle all problems and give up putting pressure on each other," Transdniestrian Foreign Minister Nina Stanski said after talks with Moldova's deputy prime minister for reintegration, Yeugen Carpov, in Chisinau on Monday.
Carpov and Stanski are Chisinau's and Tiraspol's chief negotiators.
Carpov said in a statement for the press after the talks that Chisinau had confirmed it would participate in the regular round, but did not accept the terms, proposed by Tiraspol.
"Moldova does not welcome Tiraspol's recurrent statements on its non-participation in such meetings under various pretexts. This time Tiraspol linked its participation in the talks with the closure of criminal cases started against regional officials, describing them as Chisinau's political pressure," Carpov said.
He said Moldova is ready to seek a legal solution to each case. Carpov also claimed that Transdniestria "has been raising barriers to citizens of Moldova, including Moldova leaders." "But this is not a reason for discarding the talks," he said.
"This has to do, in the first place, with the freedom of movement. Special rules for visiting the region have been set for members of the Moldova government and parliament," Carpov said.
Stanski said, in turn, that "talks are a process, based on the sides' equal status." "It is difficult to hold talks when Chisinau is putting pressure on Tiraspol, and when Transdniestrian officials are threatened with prosecution," she said.
Two rounds of talks have been held this year, although they must be held once in two months. The first round took place in February and the second in June. The talks proceeded in Vienna, although Chisinau and Tiraspol were to host the talks in accordance with the initial plan. The April and June rounds were called off over disagreements between Tiraspol and Chisinau.