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Transnistrian Conflict on November 29 – December 12, 2004
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e-journal #43 |
According to Radio Free Europe, referring to sources from the OSCE, the Russian Federation and Belarus blocked the adoption of the final statement because the draft reiterated Russia’s obligation to respect the 1999 Istanbul commitments to withdraw troops and ammunition from Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, as well as due to the two states’ disagreement with the provisions related to the situation in Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine, the resolution of “frozen” conflicts and the ratification of the Adapted Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) were the key topics discussed at the meeting and that have caused a number of divergences between the Russian Federation and other Member States.
Thus, the Dutch Foreign Minister, Bernard Bot, representing the Dutch Presidency of the EU, was quoted as saying by Basa-press that the withdrawal of Russian troops and weapons from Georgia and Moldova is a key element in the process of resolution of conflicts of the two states. This position was supported by most of the speaking ministers, including the US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Powell invoked the need for the OSCE to give a fresh push to the resolution of the conflicts that remain “frozen” 15 years after the end of the Cold War. At the same time, Powell said that although the US will further support the ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty, this will not happen until all the Istanbul commitments are fulfilled.
In the same context, the Moldovan Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan, was quoted by Basa-press as saying in a speech held at the Summit that “the presence of foreign troops on Moldovan soil is illegal, because it contravenes to the Constitution of our state, the international norms and principles”. Stratan added that the Russian military presence in Moldova is a factor that “influences” the conflict resolution process, accused the Russian military forces of supporting the Transnistrian break away regime and supported the conditioning of the ratification of the CFE Treaty with the fulfilment of the Istanbul commitments.
On the other hand, Serghei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, called upon the OSCVE to give up the “political manoeuvres around the Transnistrian problem”. Lavrov expressed support for the current negotiations format and stated that the current tension between the two sides is largely a consequence of the failed chance to settle the conflict last year (Kozak Memorandum). Furthermore, the final statement of the Russian Federation describes as illegitimate the conditioning of the ratification of the CFE Treaty with the fulfilment of the Istanbul commitments, and asserts that Russia has fulfilled all of its Istanbul commitments related to the said treaty and will continue to do so when the “favourable conditions” are in place.
Lavrov was equally categorical with regard to the sighing of the Declaration on Stability and Security for the Republic of Moldova, whose draft was proposed for signature by President Vladimir Voronin to the US, EU, the Russian Federation, Romania and Ukraine last summer, and which has been supported by the EU, US and Romania. The Declaration was to be signed at the OSCE Summit in Sofia, but on the eve of the Summit the Russian Federation expressed its official position that it would not support the document in its current reading, which, Russia said, was prepared by the US and EU and did not take into account Russia’s proposals. Reportedly, following those statements, the Moldovan authorities have made a number of attempts to secure the signature of the Declaration, including without Russia.
Lavrov confirmed the position expressed earlier by Russia, stressing that “the latest variations on the subject of the Declaration… initiated from outside and in an incomprehensively secretive atmosphere, is an attempt to devoid of meaning the basic elements of the Transnistrian conflict resolution and exclude from the process one of the parties”.
In the end, the draft Declaration was not signed in Sofia. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova William Hill said that this reflected the current divergences between the OSCE Member States, but did not deny the topicality of the document. The Chisinau officials have not commented yet on any further steps on the Declaration.
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