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Transnistrian Conflict on February 1–14, 2006

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Russian, Ukrainian security council representatives visit Transnistria

On 7–9 February 2006 a delegation of representatives of the Russian and Ukrainian security councils visited Moldova, headed by the First Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Iuri Zubakov, and the Deputy Secretary of Ukraine’s Security and Defence Council, Serghei Pirojkov. On 7 February the delegation met with Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin. During the meeting the parties noted the importance of regional security aspects in the context of the Transnistrian conflict resolution efforts and tackled such topics as the mechanism of withdrawal and destruction of the Russian weapons from Colbasna, the mechanisms of legalisation of the activity of Transnistrian economic agents and the international monitoring of the Transnistrian military-industrial complex.

On 8–9 February the Russian-Ukrainian delegation travelled to Transnistria, where it visited the “Electromas” factory, “Litmas” factory, the Ribnita steel factory and the Russian weapons depots in Colbasna. “We have not found any evidence at the enterprises we visited and where we met with employees and employers that they produce weapons”, stated Iuri Zubakov at the concluding press conference in Tiraspol. Serghei Pirojkov said, in his turn, that Ukraine regards Transnistria as an important border area. “We want that people here, including the Ukrainians, are guaranteed the basic rights”, told Pirojkov the press, noting that the application of the Yushcenko plan will allow for the removal of all obstacles to a normal life in Transnistria. According to Pirojkov, quoted by de Infotag, not all participants in the settlement process show “enough political will”, and, as a result of this, certain “confrontational models” are being thrown out into the negotiations process.

According to the two officials, an international monitoring mission under the OSCE aegis is to be deployed soon to monitor the Transnistrian military industrial complex, which will have the final say on this subject.

The Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov showed happy with the findings of the Russian-Ukrainian mission and said that after the mission under OSCE mission confirms that Transnistria is not dealing with the production and smuggling of weapons, the Moldovan leadership and President Voronin will have to apologise to the “Transnistrian people” for their false accusations and “black PR”.

On the other hand, the Moldovan Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova said he did not regard the visit of Russian and Ukrainian Security Council representatives as a monitoring one, and will only comment the situation from the enterprises concerned only following an international mission under OSCE aegis, according to AP Flux. “The Russian and Ukrainian delegations visited these enterprises but we should in no way regard this visit as a monitoring one”, said Sova further.

The issue of international monitoring of the military-industrial complex of Transnistria will be examined at the next round of talks in the “5+2” format scheduled for 27–28 February.

Unified Moldovan-Ukrainian customs procedures

Following suspension by Ukraine of the unified Moldovan-Ukrainian customs procedures, on 1 February in Odessa took place a round of bilateral Moldova — Ukrainian consultations regarding the application of unified customs procedures at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. The talks lasted for many hours but ended with no results. The Moldovan Deputy Reintegration Minister, Victor Postolache, declared at the beginning of talks that the unified rules on passing of goods over the Moldova-Ukrainian frontier need to enter into force without changes, and if the Transnistrian economic agents want to really work, they will have to comply to Moldovan laws. Transnistrian representatives, on the other hand, insisted that Transnistria has the right to conduct international commercial business independently in line with agreements signed within the settlement process and that should the new customs regime enter into force a lot of Transnistrian enterprises will stop working and there will be a humanitarian crisis in Transnistria.

The Moldovan-Ukrainian consultations in this subject were to continue on 6–7 February, but were postponed.

According to the President of the State Registration Chamber of Moldova, Alexandr Ghiduleanov, quoted by “Vremea” newspaper, from 25 January 2006, when the simplified procedure of registration for Transnistrian enterprises entered into force, 16 Transnistrian economic agents registered provisionally in Moldova, including a number of big enterprises such as the Moldovan Power Station, the Ribnita Cement Factory, factories “Buchet Moldavii”, “Moldavkabeli”, etc. At present about 50 Transnistrian enterprises are registered in Moldova on a permanent basis.

President Voronin interview with “Eho Moskvi” Radio Station

On 4 February the Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin gave a lengthy interview to the Moscow-based “Eho Moskvi” Radio Station, whose key subject was Transnistria. The interview has had a large resonance in Moldova due to a number of points made by the President on this and other topics. President Voronin noted that the conflict is not an ethnic, cultural or religious one, but rather a “conflict of interests” sustained by some deep rooted “criminal enclaves” which launder annually through Transnistria about 2 billion USD and which have ties in Chisinau, Kyiv and Moscow. These interests are the main impediment to the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and this is the reason why the Moldovan authorities have requested the adherence of the US and EU to the negotiations format. Voronin has also blamed on these interests Ukraine’s decision to suspend the application of unified customs rules that were to enter into force from 25 January. Asked about the reasons why the so-called Kozak Memorandum failed, Voronin said that the federative model envisaged in the memorandum was in breach of the Moldovan Constitution and was trap towards recognition of Transnistria. Speaking of the current Moldovan-Russian relations, President Voronin said Moldova wants “normal, good neighbourhood relations” and that “it would be quickest and most appropriate if we could solve the Transnistrian problem with Russia rather than seek support in various European and world [organisations]”. “This would be a good foundation for new relations with Russia for many years ahead”, said Voronin.

January 16–31, 2006 February 15–28, 2006