Tiraspol side in JCC accepts to talk on withdrawing forces from Security Zone

The Transnistrian delegation in the Joint Control Commission (JCC) accepted to talk over withdrawing the posts of enforcing bodies from the Security Zone. The delegations managed to overcome the impasse in this issue and to consider other matters from the order of the day at the JCC’s sitting of Thursday, April 3, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the JCC co-chairman on behalf of Moldova, Ion Solonenco. He says, following tense debates, the Transnistrian side accepted Chisinau’s proposal to consider the issue at a later sitting. “For us it is absolutely obvious that now the Transnistrian delegation is not ready to negotiate on the withdrawal of the posts as it obviously expects a political decision as to Transnistria’s status. Given the fact that they don’t dare to voice their stance on this matter, because of the reason I mentioned, we proposed to set up a working group to study the withdrawal of all the unsanctioned posts in detail. Consequently, this means the posts-withdrawal issue was maintained on the JCC’s order of the day and there are chances for it to be successful in the future”, Solonenco underlined. At the same time, the posts issue will unavoidably be tackled in case the political talks in the 5+2 format resume, taking into account that it is linked to non-observing the human rights in the Security Zone. Unblocking the talks empowered the JCC members to address other issues from the order of the day: particularly, the report of the Joint Military Commandment on the situation within the Security Zone. In this regard, the superior military commander on behalf of Moldova, colonel Victor Macrinschi, informed that the Transnistrian military deployed within the Security Zone unfold military applications without informing the JCC. “Our report finds all the deviations detected within the Security Zone, and the actions of the Transnistrian military forces represent nothing but a severe violation of the existent accords”, Victor Macrinschi emphasized. Also several organizational shifts were operated at the sitting, including the appointment of a Tiraspol representative as a JCC member. The Moldovan delegation voted for the nominee, instead it rejected the proposal to appoint Colonel Valentin Izotov as a member. He is now in the position of superior military commander on behalf of Tiraspol. “The role of military commanders is to insure the work of the peace-keepers in the Security Zone. They subordinate directly to the JCC and, consequently, do not have the right to become JCC members as long as they hold a position which can generate conflicts of interests”, Ion Solonenco opined. [INFO-PRIM NEO'S NOTE: After the war of 1992 between the Moldovan and Transnistrian forces, as the Russian army in the area supported the Tiraspol side, the three parties agreed to form a so-called Security Zone along the Nistru. The peace within this Zone is maintained by military on behalf of the three parties subordinated to the Join Control Commission – also a three-party organ.]