Moldova, separatist Transdniestria make no progress on settlement

Talks aimed at edging toward a solution to the decades-old dispute between Moldova and its separatist Transdniestria region broke down without progress on Thursday as authorities in Chisinau continue their drive to join the European Union by 2030.



Each side accused the other of refusing to budge from known positions at the talks in Tiraspol, the administrative centre of pro-Russian Transdniestria, which broke away from Moldova before the 1991 collapse of Soviet rule.



Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Valeriu Chiveri told reporters Transdniestria had refused to sign a joint declaration on resuming formal talks on a settlement.

"We believe that this demonstrates just how serious Tiraspol views the process of a settlement," he said.