Transnistrian leader insists on equality of parties in settlement talks

Transnistria continues to insists on the equality of parties in the negotiations between Chisinau and Tiraspol. The statement was made by the leader of the self-proclaimed republic Igor Smirnov at a press conference in Tiraspol. “In the last two years there was no one to speak with in Chisinau”, Smirnov was quoted by Olvia Press as saying. “Transnistria is ready for negotiations, but its future must be decided by its people jut like Moldova’s future is decided by Moldovans. Whom should we have negotiated over the last two years? What kind of society is this, if it can’t elect its president after two years? We have 1030 parties and civic associations, but there is no schism in the government. In Moldova, a part of society opts for Europe, the other for East”, said the Transnistrian leader. Igor Smirnov added that Transnistria saluted any confidence-building initiative between Tiraspol and Chisinau, regardless of who came up with it, because it allows avoiding the isolation of the people from this region. Asked about the Transnistrian position before the second round of 5+2 negotiations, scheduled for September in Moscow, Smirnov declared it “remained unchanged”. “We support the statements of the Russian and Ukrainian presidents that the negotiations must be held between equal parties. We’ll never accept conditions imposed by someone else. Transnistria was created in the Soviet Union as a defense against national fascism and was created by the people. Not for Russia, Moldova or Ukraine, but for us. This was confirmed by the people during the 2006 referendum”, said Smirnov. “We have no economic debt towards Moldova. Transnistria was never part of Moldova. Accusing us of refusing the dialogue is nonsense. We hope to get closer. That’s why we didn’t cut all economic relationships and we’ll work in the current conditions”, the leader of the self-proclaimed republic stated.