Brussels, 19/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Communist Party in power in Moldova should begin political dialogue with the opposition as a matter of urgency in order to negotiate a “viable solution” to the political crisis that followed parliamentary elections on 5 April, the results of which were challenged by the opposition, said Jan Kohout, Czech Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the EU Council, after a debate on the subject at the External Relations Council on Monday 18 May. He also stressed the importance of conducting an independent and transparent inquiry on human rights violations committed during the violent repression of protest demonstrations by the opposition on 7 April. The EU supports the Council of Europe's work in this respect. Finally, the president of the Council called for relations between Moldova and Romania to be normalised as swiftly as possible. (H.B./transl.jl)