Transnistrian Conflict on September 16–30, 2006

“Frozen” conflicts on the UN agenda

The UN General Assembly has accepted the request of the GUAM states to include the subject of “frozen” conflicts from the former USSR on the agenda of its 61st Session. The debate will take place on 6 November 2006, and the key argument put forward by the foreign ministers of the GUAM states for holding it was that although these conflicts are “frozen”, they continue to be a threat to international security, as well as an obstacle to the democratisation and economic development of the region. Moscow has been against organising such a debate, the Russian Foreign Minister, Serghei Lavrov, called the GUAM proposal as a “purely propagandistic act” and an “irrelevant” one, as long as the break away entities do not participate in the debate. On the other hand the Russian Foreign Minister said that regardless of the results of the UN General Assembly debate, Russia will not allow GUAM peacekeepers to be deployed in the FSU conflict areas.

On 26 September the Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Andrei Stratan, held a speech at the UN General Assembly. The head of the Moldovan diplomacy called on Russia to accelerate the process of withdrawal of Russian troops and weapons from the Transnistrian region and to deploy an international inspection of its weapons depots in the region. Stratan showed concerned with the inefficiency of the existing peacekeeping mechanism in Transnistria and pleaded for its transformation into a multinational force with international mandate. Moreover, Stratan stated that the “Transnistrian conflict is most and foremost a «product» of the geopolitical interests and designs” and that the conflict “has been unleashed with external support” immediately after the proclamation of independence of Moldova. Minister Stratan underlined the need for a more active involvement of the UN in the settlement of “frozen” conflicts and expressed his hope that the debate thereupon at the General Assembly will facilitate the process of settlement of conflicts in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.

The 17 September referendum

On 17 September in the Transnistrian region took place the so-called referendum regarding Transnistria relations with the Russian Federation and Moldova. According to the data published by the region’s Central Electoral Commission, around 310 000 voters participated in the ballot, which is 78,6% of the Transnistrian electorate. Of these, 97,2% voted “for” the “independence of Transnistria and its free subsequent joining of the Russian Federation” and 94,9% voted “against” “giving up the sovereignty of Transnistria and joining the Republic of Moldova”.

According to Transnistrian authorities, the ballot was monitored by 130 international observers from the CSI, Central and Western Europe, including a group of deputies in the Russian State Duma. They have released some common conclusions regarding the referendum whereby the vote was held in accordance with the Transnistrian electoral laws, and the generally accepted principles and norms of democratic elections.

The US, EU, OSCE, Ukraine and other states and international organisations have stated that they do not recognise the referendum or its results. The Russian Federation has not recognised the referendum either, however, the Russian Foreign Minister, Serghei Lavrov, stated that the referendum “took place with the respect of all procedures, in a democratic and open manner” and called upon the two sides to come back to the negotiations table “on the basis of agreements reached to date”.

The Government of Moldova issued on 18 September a statement in which it stated that it did not recognise the Transnistrian referendum and would not take into account its results within the settlement process. The Moldovan Government called the referendum a means to set back the process of territorial reintegration of Moldova and an attempt to “conserve the authoritarian and criminal character of the power in the region”. At the same time, the Moldovan Cabinet thanked the states and organisations participating in the political settlement process for adhering to the principle of solving the conflict respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova.

After the referendum, the Transnistrian leader, Igor Smirnov, stated that he will launch a series of reforms intended to harmonise the Transnistrian legislation with the Russian one in the financial, economic and fiscal spheres, but also to join the Russian Ruble area. In addition, Smirnov stated that he had sent a legislative initiative to the Supreme Soviet to reform the state power in Transnistria. If this reform will be carried out by the Russian model as well, then it will most likely envision the strengthening of the so-called power vertical and redistribution of state prerogatives in favour of the “president”.

On 19 September Smirnov left to Moscow for consultations with the Russian leadership. He held a press conference in Moscow on 21 September at which he stated that “Transnistria has submitted an application for joining the Russia — Belarus Union”, but that “because we are an unrecognised republic, we do not have this right yet”. Asked about the prospects of Transnistria joining the Russian Federation, Smirnov said that the “[17 September] referendum was not about joining Russia, but about the independence of our republic”. “It is necessary to create our own state to preserve the Transnistrian society that has formed throughout centuries”, Smirnov added.

On the other hand, a number of deputies in the Russian Duma have pleaded for the diplomatic recognition of Transnistria and the initiation of the procedure of its adherence to Russia. At the plenary sitting of 20 September, the deputy speaker Vladimir Jirinovski said that Russia needs to respect the will of the inhabitants of Transnistria to obtain international recognition, while the “Rodina” faction proposed to adopt an Appeal to the Russian president in this sense.

Meanwhile, in the Transnistrian region has started the campaign for the “presidential elections” scheduled for 10 December 2006. The Transnistrian electoral body has so far received two official requests for registration of candidacies — from Andrei Safonov, editor of newspaper “Novaia Gazeta” from Bender, and the Supreme Soviet deputy, Piotr Tomaili. Igor Smirnov, “president” of Transnistria for three consecutive mandates, has been nominated by the workers of the “Moldavkabel” plant, and later by the patriotic party of Transnistria led by his son, Oleg Smirnov.

e-democracy.md

Transnistrian Conflict on September 16–30, 2006

“Frozen” conflicts on the UN agenda

The 17 September referendum

Archive