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Transnistrian Conflict on February 15–28, 2006

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The EU is not happy with the results of the Transnistrian settlement process

On 14 February the European Union Council adopted a common position to extend the Schengen visa ban on 17 Transnistrian leaders considered responsible for the lack of progress in the conflict settlement process. According to the text of the position, EU regards the resolution of the Transnistrian conflict as crucial for the stability and prosperity of Moldova and the capitalisation on the full potential of relations with the EU. The travel ban, joined up by the US and Romania, was first introduced in 2003 in response to the obstruction of the settlement process by the self-proclaimed region’s leaders.

At a press conference held in Chisinau on 23 February on the occasion of the one year anniversary of the signature of the Moldova-EU Action Plan, Cesare de Montis, the Head of the European Commission Delegation in Chisinau, said that the EU is unhappy with how the settlement process has proceeded in the past year, hence the Union renewed the visa ban for 17 members of the Transnistrian administration. In six months, the EU will consider this matter again, and, subject to the results of the settlement talks, will either toughen or relax the sanctions against the region. At the same time, Moldovan Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister, Andrei Stratan, expressed hope that 2006 will see progress in the Transnistrian matter due to the assistance from the EU and the OSCE.

On the other hand, Marianne Mikko, the Head of the European Parliament delegation to the EU-Moldova Inter-parliamentary Committee, said the federalisation of Moldova, proposed as a solution to the Transnistrian conflict, runs counter to the Moldovan Constitution, and the presence of Russian troops on Moldovan soil is illegal. According to Moldpress, which makes reference to international media, Marianne Mikko said she had sent a letter to the OSCE CiO, Belgian Foreign Minister, Karel De Gught, whereby she had asked him for explanations for the statements made in early January. “I am a little bit surprised, how can the OSCE chairmanship say that the Russian military presence in Transnistria is a theoretical matter, as long as there exists the 1999 OSCE declaration in Istanbul, which says that the Russian troops had to leave the region in 2002 at most.,” Mikko told the press. “Russia has to observe the commitments assumed at the 1999 Summit in Istanbul, and a partial solution in this respect would be unacceptable. Moreover, the peacekeeping troops deployed in Transnistria include only Russian soldiers, not Ukrainian or Romanian. I sincerely hope that the OSCE’s Belgian chairmanship will go ahead with the diplomatic efforts in the relations with the Russian Federation, and we would like to see a certain progress in this difficult activity of finding a viable solution to the Transnistrian conflict,” Mikko added, quoted by Moldpress.

First findings of the EU Border Assistance Mission

On 16 February in Odessa took place the first meeting of the consultative council of the EU Border Assistance Mission at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, attended by the Moldovan and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers and heads of customs and border guard services, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the UNDP offices in the two countries. According to press agency “Novosti-Moldova”, the meeting heard the findings of the first assessment of the infrastructure and control procedures at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. The key recommendations were to enhance the institutional procedures and improve the border control procedures. The Moldovan Foreign Minister, Andrei Stratan, said the border monitoring is one of the principal aspects of the Moldovan-Ukrainian relations and thanked the Ukrainian side for its assistance in deploying the mission. On the other hand, Boris Tarasiuk, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said the mission has already shown its efficiency and expressed hope that it will help facilitate border crossing procedures for ordinary citizens and prevent smuggling and other illegal activities. Tarasiuk also said that by appealing to the UE for border assistance, Ukraine showed its readiness to solve the problems at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border.

In the meantime, Chisinau and Kiev concluded consultations on the technical aspects related to the implementation of the unified border procedures at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. The Moldovan authorities have accepted Kiev’s proposals to review the mechanism of border crossing for Transnistrian goods. Thus, the Moldovan authorities engaged to extend the term of validity of provisional licences for Transnistrian enterprises registered temporarily with the Moldovan Chamber of State Registration. These will be able to export goods to Ukraine under the same terms as the enterprises registered permanently in Moldova on the basis of certificates of origin of type CT-1 for exports to Ukraine in preferential regime. These certificates will be issued on the condition that Moldovan officials will be guaranteed unhindered access to documents, the production process, warehouses and goods destined for exports.

The new regulations will enter into force after being discussed with the participants in the negotiations process and with representatives of the EU Border Assistance Mission. According to an OSCE Mission communique, this issue will also be discussed the next round of talks in the “5+2” format scheduled for 27–28 February. Other items on the agenda of the talks will be the international inspection of the military-industrial complex of Transnistria, the situation in the security zone and the possibility of deploying a needs assessment mission to Transnistria in view of conducting democratic elections in the region.

Transnistrian “parliamentary” delegation on visit to Moscow

A delegation of the new elect “Supreme Soviet” from Tiraspol, headed by Speaker Evgheni Sevciuk, paid a visit to Moscow on 20–22 February. During the visit, the Transnistrian “deputies” met with the heads of factions and committees of the Russian Federal Assembly, the State Duma leadership and the leadership of the Russian Union of Industries and Enterprises. “We came to Russia to establish inter-parliamentary ties, as well as political and economic contacts. In addition, Russia’s position is very important for us, and we appeal to Russia as a guarantor state in the Transnistrian conflict settlement to ensure the observation of the provisions of the 1997 Memorandum, which regulates relations between Moldova and Transnistria,” Speaker Sevciuk was quoted by Regnum.ru as saying at the wrap up press conference on 22 February.

During the same press conference, Sevciuk stated that in the event that the conflict situation escalates in South Ossethia and Abhasia, Transnistria will exit the negotiations format, in line with agreements signed earlier by Transnistria with the two break-away regions. Also Sevciuk supported Russia’s position regarding the universality of the solution that will be identified in the Kosova case, which could also be applied in the case of Transnistria. Sevciuk spoke against the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the region, which he called “guarantor of region’s stability and security”.

February 1–14, 2006 March 1–14, 2006