Anatol Croitoru: Moldova will get concrete results in settling the Transnistrian when it gives up CIS and its neutrality. Info-Prim Neo survey

Info-Prim Neo News Agency is conducting an opinion poll on the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict among leaders of political parties, representatives of the civil society, and opinion shapers from both banks of the Nistru. The survey is aimed at finding out viewpoints that could contribute to the improvement of the present situation. All the participants were asked the same two questions. This time, the answers are given by Anatol Croitoru, the executive director of the Culture and Law Association “Transnistria”. [ - How can the dispute be solved in your opinion? In what way, through what mechanisms and during what terms is a settlement possible? ] - The settlement of the Transnistrian conflict is possible, first, by Russia fulfilling its commitments assumed in 1999 in Istanbul and namely: withdrawing the ammunition and disarming the breakaway army, as it has been up to now armed and backed up by Russia. It is also absolutely necessary to remove all the breakaway borders within the conflict zone, their customs offices and the Russian peace-keepers, as they have shown they can do nothing to regulate the conflict for 16 years. The Russian peace-keepers can be replaced with observers coming from Old Europe – from France or Germany. All these conditions can be fulfilled shortly, only provided the Moldovan leadership opposed Russia fearlessly. [ - How do you think, how efficient and relevant to the created situation are the steps taken by the administration of Moldova at present? When do you think the effort made by the authorities will begin to produce results and what results can we expect? ] - In my opinion , during all these 16 years, nothing efficient and adequate for the solution of the Transnistrian conflict has been or is being undertaken. An unquestionable proof is that we still have a frozen conflict. I consider Moldova will get concrete results, when the authorities give up the status of a CIS member state and the neutrality principle. Another idea would be to join NATO and the European Union, because the people from both sides want it. Also, by fulfilling these desiderata more jobs could be created by new investors from European countries.