Transnistria Request To Russia Is Counter To Peace Process

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 17



By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend:



The appeal of the so-called "supreme soviet" of Moldova's Transnistrian region to the central authorities of Russia on the region's recognition as an independent state is a one-sided and absolutely counterproductive action, the statement of Moldavian government said.



" The appeal is nothing but a direct defiance of the Transnistrian conflict settlement process, Moldova's territorial integrity. By such an appeal, Tiraspol ignores an objective reality - and namely the fact that the Transnistrian region is recognised as a component part of the Republic of Moldova by all international actors participating in the process of five-plus-two negotiations," a message from Moldavian embassy in Azerbaijan said on April 17.



The pseudo-referendum organised in the Transnistrian region in September 2006 was not recognised by the international community and cannot be regarded as an exercise of expressing the will of the residents from the region, the government's statement said.



"The only way of identifying a final and viable solution to the Transnistrian conflict is the continuation of the political dialogue, without pre-conditions, within all the present mechanisms of negotiations. The government remains opened and interested in such a dialogue. We call on the international partners to undertake coordinated efforts, with a view of advancing the conflict settlement process by working out a special status for the Transnistrian region, based on the principles of Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity. And in particular, we urge our partners from Russia to come with a prompt reaction, in full accordance with the norms and principles of the international law," the statement said.



The members of parliament of the so-called "supreme soviet" of Moldova's breakaway Transnistrian region, on April 16, adopted an appeal to the UN, OSCE and Russia, asking recognition of the region as an independent state.



Five districts of Moldova situated on the west bank of the Dniester River declared the formation of a Transnistrian Union Republic within the USSR in September 1990, and then - independent Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (PMR) with Tiraspol as its center.



Moldavian authorities didn't agree with the decision of the Transnistrian MPs and attempted to solve the problem by deploying troops in the unrecognized republic.



An armed conflict broke out in Transnistria in March 1992 and lasted until mid-July of the same year. As a result, Chisinau lost control of the left bank districts and Transnistria become a territory, with all its statehood attributes, including its own currency.



The armed phase of the confrontation ended only after the deployment of Russian army units in the conflict zone.