Moldova assures the USA it has not received any official Russian plan to settle the Transnistrian dispute

An US official said the Moldovan authorities gave assurances to the USA that they did not receive any official Russian plan on the settlement of the Transnistrian dispute. The statement was made by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, David Kramer, at a news conference, on Thursday, April 27. “I have received clear assurances from Moldovan authorities that no plan on settling the Transnistrian dispute was presented to them. These assurances came personally from President Vladimir Voronin, Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan and Minister of Reintegration Vasile Sova”, Kramer stated. The US official also said that, as part of the meetings he had with the head of state, he addressed this question explicitly, to avoid confusions or misunderstandings. “We trust the word of the Government and President of Moldova”, the US official stated. Kramer said that during his recent visit to Moscow he was not informed about the existence of such a plan by the Russian officials. “But this thing does not exclude the existence of a plan”, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia mentioned. Kramer gave assurances that the USA will further insist on finding a solution to the Transnistrian dispute. We regret that the negotiations in “5+2” format have not taken place for more than one year, and the disagreement comes from Transnistria. We consider that the negotiations must be resumed unconditionally and without delay”, Kramer emphasized. In his opinion, though, in February 2006, the Moldovan side was that withdrew from negotiations, - the reason being the limiting of right of farmers in the region to their lands, which was finally solved, - at present the interruption of negotiations does not come from Chisinau. The Moldovan party states it is always ready to return to negotiation table. That which disagrees to resume the negotiations is Transnistria that, during one year, invoked different pretexts to undermine the process of negotiations – customs agreement between Moldova and Ukraine, referendum organised in the region, Kosovo issue etc. David Kramer also asserts that the settlement of Transnistrian dispute should base, as main element, on withdrawal of Russian presence from the East of Moldova. The pulling out of the Russian troops from Moldova’s territory must take place in parallel or even before finding a solution to Transnistrian dispute, Kramer stated. “What is concerning us is that any delay in withdrawal could more prolong this process”, cited source says. According to US official, the USA backed the idea to introduce international peacekeeping forces in the region as a method of withdrawing the Russian forces from Transnistria, except for those who supervise the ammunition depots.