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106 | Mission Notesand Moldova (unusually, the EU does not run thismission directly but sub-contracts it to the UNDevelopment Programme). This went down badlywith the Transdniestrian authorities, who controlpart of the border area and profited from illegalcross-border trade. EUBAM is headquartered inOdessa, Ukraine, and operates in both Ukraineand Moldova.In a complex arrangement, the EUSR doesnot have direct authority over EUBAM, but theborder mission’s leader is double-hatted as a politicaladvisor to the EUSR. The EUSR also has asupport team of advisors based in Moldova andUkraine – the EUSR himself is based in Brussels. InJuly 2010 it was decided to terminate the EUSR’smandate in 2011.T<strong>here</strong> have been some positive signs of progresstowards a political settlement in Moldova however.In mid-2010, Germany and Russia proposed settingup a joint EU-Russia Security Committee, andsuggested that Transdniestra top its initial agenda.Better cooperation between Brussels and Moscowmay help end the frozen conflict. It would alsoreduce the role of the OSCE as a mediator in thislong-running stand-off.ConclusionWhile t<strong>here</strong> may be new openings for a settlementin Moldova, the situations in Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh do not seem set for imminent resolution.Although the EU is rationalizing its role in t<strong>here</strong>gion, and the OSCE has a much-reduced role overGeorgia, it is likely that a variety of political missionswill be required in these former Soviet statesfor some time yet – especially as the potential forfurther conflicts remains significant.notes1 Details on EUSRs in this mission note draw heavily on Giovanni Grevi, “Pioneering Foreign Policy: the EUSpecial Representatives,” Chaillot Paper No. 106, Institute for Security Studies, October 2007.2 Thomas de Waal, “Remaking the Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process,” Survival, Vol. 52, No. 4, August 2010, p166.