Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote dialogue between the Moldovan government and Transnistria; and if he will make a statement.

The British Embassy in Chisinau has a number of projects in the Republic of Moldova (including in the Transnistrian region) that work to increase engagement and build confidence between the Sides (Moldova and the Transnistrian region). These projects are funded by the cross-Whitehall Conflict Pool and promote dialogue on all levels: political, business and civil society. They include conflict analysis training, summer and winter schools for young leaders and exchanges of peace-building experience based on the Northern Ireland example.

The Embassy works closely with the Organisation for Security and Co-oporation in Europe, EU, United Nations Development Programme and other interested partners in Moldova on this issue. At the UK political level, The Leader of the House (in his then capacity as Foreign Secretary), I as Minister for Europe and the All-party parliamentary group (APPG) on Moldova have all visited the country this year. The APPG also visited Transnistria. The UK Government has repeatedly called for progress in the 5+2 talks on resolving the Transnistria protracted conflict, and continues to underline the need for dialogue at all levels.