Conflict resolution in Moldova

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In its current manifestation, the conflict over Transnistria dates back to the end of the Soviet Union and the establishment of an independent Moldovan state. After a brief spell of violence in 1991/2, the de-facto state of Transnistria came into being, and despite numerous settlement proposals from all parties involved in the so-called 5+2 settlement process, the status quo of 1992 has been consolidated and, until recently, no tangible progress was made towards a settlement. Following a German-Russian initiative and as a result of subsequently increasing external pressure for a 'proper' political settlement, the parties agreed in September 2011 to resume official negotiations in the 5+2 framework. Consequently, the Transnistria conflict and its resolution is now high on the political agenda of all the parties, but, unfortunately, they lack a wider understanding of good practices, or an appreciation that the issues that they are dealing with have been resolved in other countries. Furthermore, some of the mediators lack knowledge of past attempts to resolve the Transnistria issue and are unfamiliar with the complexities of the situation on the ground and how similar negotiation processes have successfully concluded elsewhere. Against this background, the proposed project seeks to follow on from two previous research projects that the PI conducted on the establishment and sustainability of governance arrangements in divided societies, especially the use of autonomy and power-sharing arrangements. The first target group of the follow-on activities are the international organisations, and some of their relevant member states, that are directly involved in the negotiations process, namely the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the EU and the British and German governments. Here the emphasis will be on developing available options for a conflict settlement and the question of how to facilitate/mediate a conclusive negotiation process and assist in settlement implementation. The second target group will be the immediate conflict parties, namely the government of the Republic of Moldova, especially its Bureau for Reintegration, and the authorities in Transnistria, especially the team of the Chief Negotiator. Here the emphasis of the follow-on activities will be on available options for a conflict settlement.The PI has been intimately and continuously involved with conflict settlement efforts in Moldova since 2003, and thus has a wide network of relevant contacts among non-academic research users that will facilitate maximum impact of this project. Stakeholders have been extensively consulted in the conception of this project.Follow-on activities will begin with a stakeholder consultation to ensure the relevance of input into the development of negotiation strategies and positions of the parties and into the ongoing negotiation process more generally. Draft papers on settlement options and mediation will then be presented to stakeholders to ensure their continuing input into the direction and substance of this follow-on project, and final versions of the papers will then be presented to them individually and at a concluding conference co-hosted by the project's core collaborator, the International Peace Institute (Vienna office). This multi-stage engagement with stakeholders will ensure maximisation of impact and, through building, consolidating and enhancing relationships with stakeholders, allow for subsequent meaningful follow-on activities beyond the life cycle of this project.As part of the project outputs, beyond the two options papers on settlement and mediation, the PI will produce a number of more general briefing papers that can be utilised by stakeholders (and by others through broader dissemination) in their conflict resolution work beyond Moldova, as well as two journal articles aimed at academic research users.