CHISINAU. Nov 22 (Interfax) - Moldovan President Igor Dodon has denied Moldovan media reports alleging secret talks with Russia on a Transdniestrian settlement formula.
"Efforts are being taken to build confidence between the two banks of the Dniester River. Talks are being conducted in the 5+2 format. There are no other, secret talks. The issue of Moldova's federalization as a concept for settling the Transdniestrian conflict has not been put on the agenda, and this isn't going to be done in the future," Dodon said on the television channel PROTV-Chisinau.
"It is hard to talk about a settlement in the broad sense of this word under the current political circumstances," he said.
There are no separate talks with Russia on this matter, either, Dodon said.
"Any Transdniestria status formula discussed with Russia is out of the question, because such decisions must be made jointly, first and foremost in Chisinau. We need national consensus. After discussing the issue in Chisinau, we should talk to Tiraspol and convince it to accept the settlement formula. Only then could the issue be discussed in a broad format involving settlement intermediaries and guarantors (the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union)," Dodon said.
The withdrawal of ammunition from Transdniestria was discussed by Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during the former's recent visit to Moscow, Dodon said.