Voronin says Basescu's consent to basing U.S. anti-rocket shield facilities in Romania is similar to agreements between Antonescu and Hitler

“The Moldovan society is against basing U.S. anti-missile defense systems in Romania. The strained Moldovan-Romanian relations will become worse. We do not accuse Romania for this decision as we are aware of its unionist policy. Romania cannot accept that Moldova exists as an independent state,” the former President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, the leader of the Communists Party, said Thursday during a Moscow-Chisinau videoconference themed “Location of Anti-Rocket Systems in Romania: Russia's and Moldova's Reaction,” Info-Prim Neo reports. “Though the Americans said the rockets are designed to prevent dangers from Iraq, the essence is different. These events remind of Europe's return to the cold war of the last century. The steps taken by Basescu are similar to the agreements to form an anti-Soviet coalition reached by Antonescu and Hitler,” Voronin said. Voronin also said that the presence of an anti-rocket shield at the border represents a danger to Moldova's neutrality and will delay the settlement of the Transnistrian dispute. Vladimir Evseev, senior scientist at the Academy of Sciences of Russia, said Romania's decision to host the U.S. anti-missile defense systems will not determine Russia to strengthen its presence in Transnistria. Moldovan politologist Bogdan Tardea said he supports former Romanian President Ion Iliescu's proposal to hold a national referendum on the issue. Russian political analysts urged Moldova to oppose such a decision and discuss the problem with the Romanian authorities, while Moscow will negotiate with Washington and try to convince the U.S. authorities to abandon their plans by 2015. Vladimir Evseev also said that the plans to base anti-rocket shield facilities do not concern the U.S. and Russia only. Countries like Moldova and Ukraine can express their viewpoints at the OSCE, the UN and during experts conferences so as to asses the risks. Igor Volnitski, spokesman for Moldova's Prime Minister, said the Moldovan authorities will not pronounce on Romania's decision to host U.S. anti-missile defense systems as Moldova cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the neighboring country.