Main problem of Transnistrian crisis is Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate

The main problem of the Transnistrian conflict is Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate. “Russia starts a very strong stage of asserting itself and I think that the present situation in Transnistria is convenient for Russia”, the British Member of Parliament Bruce George, who is paying a visit to Moldova, declared on Wednesday, July 26 for the press. George said that lately EU made some recommendations on the possible ways of solving the Transnistrian conflict, but the international community is powerless as long as long as the dialogue of the parts involved in the dispute is not progressing. According to the British MP, the Transnistrian conflict is a classic example of a frozen conflict, as well as others in the region. The official considers that all the possibilities should be used in order to avoid the prolongation of such crisis for long periods. The consequences of the Transnistrian conflict and the refuse to negotiate have disastrous effects over the evolution of both democratic and economic processes in the Republic of Moldova, contributing in particular to the intensification of criminality and corruption. “Moldova pays an exaggerated price for the impossibility to settle the Transnistrian conflict”, Bruce George declared. Commenting upon the restrictions imposed by Russia for the import of Moldovan wine, George declared that this ban surprised him because Moldova produces excellent wines. At the same time, the official said that the impossibility to deliver wines on the Russian markets offers Moldova the opportunity to search, using efficient marketing strategies, for new markets in the whole world. Regarding the perspectives of Moldova to join EU, the quoted source declared that the European Union is not yet ready to accept new members, because it suffers from the “expansion tiredness” syndrome. At the same time, George states that once the effects of this syndrome will go down, Moldova should expect the next round 0f negotiations. Meanwhile, Moldova has many things to do so that when the right moment comes the negotiations would not be a “painful” process. Bruce George is a British Labourist Member of Parliament and held the office of president of the Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE. He is also the chairman of the International Association of Business & Parliament, a non-profit, non-partisan and non-lobbying organization, which delivers an international protocol for establishing relationship between business and parliamentary leaders. IABP activates in Moldova from October 2005. Bruce George is visiting Moldova for the second time.