The quality of the peacekeeping mission in Moldova is questioned now more owing to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which are guarantor countries in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process. Now the Moldovan authorities should make approaches for the mission to be transformed from a military one into a civilian one, considers professor of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova Vitalie Gamurari, who made a study entitled “Status of the peacekeeping forces in international law. Moldova’s case”, IPN reports.
One of the conclusions of the study is that the current format of the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks is evidently inefficient. During the last 22 years, the situation hasn’t improved. Moreover, the sides were put in unequal conditions. Moldova is the only international law subject that represents this territory, while the Transnistrian side’s arguments in favor of its right to separation are unfounded in the absence of a relevant international law norm. Russia has repeatedly violated the provisions of the Agreement of 1992, which is a legal document signed by it.
As to the current format of the peacekeeping forces working in Transnistria, the author said that these forces should be replaced by a mission of civil and police observers based on the contemporary peacekeeping principles promoted by the UN.
Another recommendation is to intensify the diplomatic dialogue with the institutions of the EU in a move to ensure their more active involvement in the conflict settlement process, including by making them play a decisive role in the future format, without neglecting the importance of Russia and Ukraine taking part in the negotiations in a new format, but without giving Russia the right of veto.
The study “Status of the peacekeeping forces in international law. Moldova’s case” was carried out within the project “Strengthening the observance of human rights in the Transnistrian region of Moldova” that is implemented by “Promo-LEX” Association.
