No consulate in Tiraspol until Russian troops are withdrawn, Nicolae Timofti

The Moldovan authorities won't consent to a Russian consulate in Tiraspol as long as Russian troops are stationed within the territory of Moldova, stated President Nicolae Timofti at a Press Club meeting in Chisinau on Friday, Info-Prim Neo reports. He also said that Russia should not use its assets, such as the gas, to pressure Moldova into accepting its terms. At the same time, Nicolae Timofti said he highly values friendly relations with Russia, with which we share a period of common history, as long as these relations are beneficial for the consolidation of Moldova's independence. Visiting Chisinau earlier on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin negotiated the opening of a Russian consulate in the northern city of Balti. As regards plans for a consulate in Tiraspol, the sides agreed to continue discussions on the issue, with the first occasion to be Moldo-Russian consular consultations on November 22.