The Republic of Moldova called on the OSCE participating states to support the UN resolution on the withdrawal of the Russian troops and munitions from its territory. Ambassador to Vienna Victor Osipov, Moldova’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE, in the Forum for Security Cooperation on June 20, presented a statement that focuses on pressing problems related to the foreign military presence on Moldova’s territory, IPN reports.

In a press release, Moldova’s Embassy in Austria says in the opening of his speech Moldova’s representative said the tragic battle in Tighina during the war for defending the country’s independence and territorial integrity of 1992 is commemorated these days. Then, the Russian troops took sides with the separatist forces, becoming involved with tanks and other heavy weapons.

Victor Osipov reminded that by the final declaration of the OSCE Istanbul Summit of 1999, the participating states agreed on the necessity of withdrawing the Russian troops from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Moldova. The process started and made notable progress, but was suspended and the so-called Operational Group of Russian Forces continued to stay on Moldova’s territory illegally, without the consent of the host country, supporting the unconstitutional regime on the left side of the Nistru.

The Permanent Representative to the OSCE noted the necessity of guarding the munition stockpiles in Cobasna, which should be taken away and liquidated, or the attempts to make a connection between the Operational Group of Russian Forces and the Russian peacekeeping troops are inacceptable justification stratagems. The peacekeeping operation is a separate mechanism specified in the agreement on the principles of the peaceful settlement of the armed conflict in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova that was signed in July 21, 1992.

Speaking about the current security developments, Victor Osipov said the number of military exercises performed by the Operational Group of Russian Forces and the Transnistrian paramilitary forces increased from 243 in 2016 to 336 in 2017. Such an intensity of exercises is typical of the preparations for military operations and the OSCE bodies are expected to appropriately assess the situation and to apply the Early Warning mechanisms.

Finally, the ambassador underlined the importance of reducing the tensions in the conflict regions and called on all the OSCE participating states to support the Moldovan authorities’ initiative registered under No. 35. Moldova’s Embassy reiterated this request in a note issued to the accreditation countries and to all the almost 100 permanent missions to the UN Office and the international organizations in Vienna.

The draft resolution on the complete and unconditional withdrawal of the foreign armed forces from Moldova’s territory will be examined in the June 22 meeting of the UN General Assembly.