Monitoring→Politics→Transnistrian Conflict

Efforts to resume negotiation process

President Vladimir Voronin met mediators and observers of the “5+2” Transnistrian settlement negotiations on July 22, 2008. The meeting should open perspectives to resume the negotiation process. But this did not happen because Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov has announced that he would not meet international mediators and observers separately, and they were honoured to meet Smirnov’s deputy. The final “5+2” meeting at which chief negotiators of the conflicting sides have joined representatives of mediators and observers in the “3+2” format was of protocol routine.

In spite of the clearly uninterested conduct of the Transnistrian side to resume negotiations, President Vladimir Voronin was optimistic that a solution to the Transnistrian conflict will be found by the end of this year. According to Voronin:

• Proposals by Moldovan authorities on settlement of the Transnistrian conflict stipulate a complex political, social, humanitarian approach;
• All documents on settlement of the conflict will be approved during “5+2” negotiations;
• The proposed solutions shall not affect the principles stipulated by the law on basic regulations of the special legal status of localities from the left bank of the Dniester, adopted by Moldovan Parliament through consensus on July 22, 2005;
• The conflict resolution process shall go along with the process of consolidation of confidence-building actions between the conflicting sides;
• The 2009 parliamentary elections will be held countrywide.

The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, EU Special Representative to Moldova Kalman Mizsei, and Deputy Assistant of U.S. Secretary of State David Merkel have backed in principle the viewpoints by President Voronin. Representatives of Ukraine and Russia Aleksandr Gorin and Valeri Nesterushkin stressed the necessity of a joint effort by the parties in settling the conflict (according to Moldpres).

Pretexts to delay the resumption of negotiations

Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov has continued to insist on a response by President Voronin regarding the draft interstate agreement between Moldova and Transnsitria. By maintaining his interest for resolving social-economic problems, Smirnov spoke out about working groups established at Voronin’s proposal, but insisted that they should be called “constitutional groups” because their activity could have important political effects. This explanation is irrelevant and it rather reveals the desire to delay the resumption of the negotiation process.

Phenomenon in Transnistrian army

Three soldiers died in the Transnistrian army during one year in suspicious conditions. The latest case was recorded on July 18, 2008. Transnistrian authorities tried to hide the information, but they had to make public this case after a week, being pressed by the public. As usually, Transnistrian authorities promised to investigate the case, but hinted that the last death was also an accident. They are not ashamed of the big number of accidents, refusing to recognise the existence of “irregular” relations in army.

Archive

2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

 

© 2001–2018 Association for Participatory Democracy “ADEPT”
Phone/Fax: (373 22) 21-29-92, e-mail:
Reproduction of the materials is welcomed provided the source is indicated

Created by NeoNet