Figures and facts about Transnistrian conflict, part II

[Info-Prim Neo article of the series “20 years of the start of the war. When should we expect peace?”] {The armed conflict between the two banks of the Nistru River during several years had been preceded by numerous acts aimed at separating the eastern region from the former Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic and afterward the Republic of Moldova. The secessionist processes were inspired from outside in the context of the national renaissance and self-determination movement of the Moldovan people in relation to the Soviet Union that started to fall apart, Info-Prim Neo, reports, quoting the Chisinau Center of Military Culture and History.} [Continuation from February 27 and February 28, 2012] According to a publication of the Center, [on March 28, 1992] President Mircea Snegur declared a state of emergency on the country’s territory. The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of National Security and the units of the National Army were to take immediate measures to liquidate and disarm the paramilitary units based on the left bank of the Nistru and to identify and arrest persons who committed crimes against the state institutions and the peaceful population. On [March 29, 1992], Prime Minister Valeriu Muravski issued an ultimatum to the secessionist groups, demanding that they yield up the guns within two days. On [March 31, 1992], the Parliament of Moldova constituted a special commission to propose solutions for improving the situation. It consisted of representatives of all the parliamentary groups, empowered to formulate proposals for peacefully settling the conflict, based on the international norms and standards. The situation worsened when Russia became directly involved in the internal affairs of Moldova, by sending Russian Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi to Tiraspol. The Russian official pronounced openly in favor of involving the Russian army in the conflict, arguing the Russian citizens living in the Transnistrian region must be protected. Moldova’s administration sent letters to the President of Russia and the Russian Congress of People’s Deputies, asking that they take attitude to the statements made by Aleksandr Rutskoi in Tiraspol. Thus, foreign factors became involved in the conflict. During several meetings, the ministers of the interior of Moldova, Russia, Romania and Ukraine discussed and approved a series of principles concerning the peaceful settling of the conflict. A joint commission was set up that was to initiate the process of disarming the sides involved in the conflict. On [April 1, 1992], Moldova’s Parliament adopted a decision on the peaceful settling of the conflict. The Moldovan police tried to liberate Tighina (Bender), which was controlled by the secessionist forces. Eight police officers were killed. The same day, Russian President Boris Yeltsin issued decree No. 320 to transfer the Soviet military units that were on Moldova’s territory under the military administration of Russia, neglecting thus the decree of the Moldovan President and stopping the process of organizing the military units. On [April 2, 1992], General Iuri Netkacev, commander of the 14th Army, issued an ultimatum to Moldova’s President Mircea Snegur, asking that the Moldovan forces pull out 15 km from Tighina. On [April 10, 1992], by presidential decree No. 87, the minister of defense was empowered to call up officers and sub-officers in reserve in case of necessity and if they agreed. On [April 14, 1992], there was constituted a new Supreme Security Council that was managed directly by the head of state. On [May 12, 1992], Mircea Snegur requested Russian President Boris Yeltsin to pull out the 14th Army from Moldova’s territory. He also sent a message about the involvement of the 14th Army in the conflict to the UN secretary general. On [May 21, 1992], the Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov issued a degree whereby the 14th Army was transferred under the jurisdiction of the breakaway republic. A company of the Russian military unit based in Parcani village entered the war. Starting with [May 23, 1992], the Transnistrian paramilitary units stepped up the fighting. The 14th Army started a direct and open aggression. The separatist forces, in cooperation with the 14th Army, launched a large-scale military operation against the Tighina police station in order to liquidate it. By presidential decree No.159 of [June 16, 1992], Ion Costas was dismissed from the post of defense minister. On [June 24, 1992], the President of Moldova made the following appeal to the peoples, Parliaments and Governments of other countries: „…in this tragic moment for the destiny of our state, we call on the peoples of the world to intervene by all the means possible to end the aggression launched by the Armed Forces of Russia”. On [July 21, 1992], the Presidents of Moldova and Russia signed in Moscow the Convention on the principles of peacefully settling the armed conflict. On [July 27, 1992], there was set up the Joint Control Commission that was empowered to supervise the situation in the conflict zone. It consists of three delegations that represent Moldova, Russia and the Transnistrian administration. Ukraine and the OSCE Mission to Moldova act as observers within the Commission. On [July 29, 1992], General Pavel Creanga was named minister of national defense. In accordance with the additional protocol of the Joint Control Commission, peacekeeping forces and a group of observers were deployed in the conflict zone on [July 31, 1992]. They were to ensure the ceasefire, withdraw and disarm all the military units and maintain peace and the rule of law in the conflict zone. Moldova created three motorized infantry battalions of the peacekeeping forces in Cocieri, Varnita, and Cosnita. On [July 28, 1992], a demining company was included in the peacekeeping contingent. There were demined 71.9 km2 of land and destroyed 4,080 explosives. A Security Zone was set up along the Nistru River. It is 225 km long and 15-21 km wide. The three contingents of the peacekeeping troops managed by the Joint Control Commission represent the Joint Peacekeeping Forces that include 1,200-1,300 servicemen. The military units of the Russian contingent are based in Bender (with a subunit in Dubasari town), of Moldova – in Cocieri, Cosnita, and Varnita, while of the Transnistrian administration – in Dubasari, and Grigoriopol. There are 15 joint posts that work under unilateral or mixed regimes. In order to settle the Transnistrian conflict, a 5+2 negotiation format was created in 2005. It includes the conflicting sides Moldova and Transnistria, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as mediators, and the EU and U.S. as observers. The talks were halted in 2006 and resumed officially in November 2011. [Irina Turcanu, Info-Prim Neo]