Germany's proposal for settling Transnistrian conflict lacks economic component, experts

Germany's proposal for resolving the Transnistrian conflict must have an economic component that would make Russia more cooperative. The different strategic views of the EU and Russia significantly diminish the chances of settling the conflict, consider Leonid Litra and Dumitru Rusu, experts of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative (IDIS) “Viitorul”, Info-Prim Neo reports. In an analysis themed “Opportunities in Moldovan-German Relations”, the two experts say the OSCE Summit held in Astana early in December did not yield the expected result as regards the Transnistrian conflict. Germany offers to promote a new treaty on the security model in Europe if Russia withdraws its troops and munitions from the Transnistrian region. It suggests that the EU-Russia Political and Security Committee should deal with this issue and treat it like a regional, not Moldova's problem. The analysis “Opportunities in Moldovan-German Relations” was included in the Foreign Policy Bulletin produced with financial support from Soros Foundation Moldova and the National Endowment for Democracy.