CHISINAU. Feb 9 (Interfax) - The Transdniestrian settlement process problem is not an obstacle to Moldova's integration with the European Union, State Secretary of the Moldovan Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry Vladimir Cuc said.
"Brussels has been watching the Transdniestrian settlement process. Everyone understands that the Transdniestrian settlement issue is multifaceted. Everyone knows the story of how this conflict started and evolved. No one ties the process of Moldova's integration with the EU to its resolution. No one expects it to be 'resolved tomorrow'. And we are not entering the European Union 'tomorrow' either. Therefore, the expectations regarding such sensitive and multifaceted issues are that the attitude to them should be calm," Cuc told the TV8 television channel on Thursday.
When commenting on the results of the EU-Moldova Association Council meeting held earlier this week, the official said that the Transdniestrian settlement process had been touched upon in the general context of discussions on the situation in Moldova and the implementation of the European Commission's recommendations given to Moldova when it received EU candidate status.
The EU is also a participant in the 5+2 format for Transdniestria, Cuc said. The 5+2 format includes Moldova and Transdniestria as parties to the conflict, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as mediators, and the European Union and the United States as observers.
"This format is not working now, but it exists, and all parties are watching this process. The Transdniestrian settlement process is a topic that is always on the agenda of discussions with Brussels. We agree that reintegration should develop in a step-by-step manner and in parallel with the process of Moldova's integration with the EU. Everyone has their own 'time horizon' for bringing a solution to both problems nearer," he said.
Neither the Transdniestrian problem nor any other issues are red lines for the process of accession to the EU, Cuc said.
"Everything depends on us, on how we keep moving forward. We should implement reforms to allow Transdniestria to better realize the benefits of integration with the EU. Already today, around two-thirds of the region's exports are going to the EU within Moldova's quotas. And there are much more advantages," he said.
During a joint press conference with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita in Brussels on Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell emphasized the need to continue Transdniestria settlement talks.