The Transnistrian conflict has become a hot topic these days, with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev visit to Kiev. The two presidents support a special status for Transnistria and recognise the "important and stabilising" role of the Russian army. The EU was asking on Monday, May 17, to restart negotiations for the 5+2 format, while a Washington Post editorialist talks about abandoning Russia's neighbours in its sphere of influence. At the same time, Moldova's PM Vlad Filat wants to see the Russian army replaced with an international civil mission and hopes for Europe's support.

Medvedev and Ianukovici talked in Kiev, Ukraine's capital, about solving the Transnistrian issue. There are two important aspects in the 5+2 format, which brings to negotiations Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Transnistria and OSCE, with the US and the EU as observers.

According to Stratfor sources, the American analysis and information company, the two presidents announced on Tuesday, May 18, a "coordinated effort" in solving the conflict, which, obviously, is not a good sign, bearing in mind that Ukraine is constantly growing into becoming a faithful Moscow vassal. Unimedia quotes the declaration signed by the two presidents, indicating that Moldova and Tiraspol need to reach, "through peaceful political means and equal dialogue", to a special status for the Transnistria region within Moldova's territorial integrity and sovereignty, constitutional neutrality and the formation of an economic zone and a unique defence.

In the mentioned document, Russia and Ukraine "accentuate the important and stabilising role in the current peace-keeping operation in the region and plead for a constructive collaboration of all its composing elements". The two main parties underline their intention to create the necessary conditions to restart negotiations in the 5+2 format. @N