Moldova doubts Russia's role in solving Transnistrian problem, Chisinau political analyst finds

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has had a phone conversation with the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Javier Solana. In a press release issued by the presidency, it was said the sides have talked about the latest developments in solving the Transnistrian conflict and the results of the meeting between Vladimir Voronin and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, in St. Petersburg. According to the communique, the President has said for Moldova is very important the attitude of Dmitri Medvedev as to the process of solving the Transnistrian problem. Vladimir Voronin has stressed the significance of insuring the predictable and transparent character of solving the Transnistrian problem during all the stages. The President voices for the soonest meeting of the mediators and observers in the “5+2” talks to definitely solve the Transnistrian problem. He has also pleaded for discussing the issue at the UE – Russia Summit, to take place in the Russian town of Hanty-Mansiysk, on June 25-26 this year. Javier Solana would have stated that the EU will further make efforts to advance the process of settling the Transnistrian crisis. Denis Cenusa, an expert in international relations, has told Info-Prim Neo the phone talk between Javier Solana and Vladimir Voronin is part of the actions meant by the Moldovan President to confirm Moldova's adhesion to the accords and arrangements existent between Chisinau and Brussels concerning problem. “Taking into account the fact that the EU is not capable to follow the semi-discreet Moldo-Russian relations on the verge of the Transnistrian regulation, we observe that after a series of meetings between the Russian and Moldovan officials, the phone talk between Voronin and Solana more has the role to establish the current position of the Chisinau leadership concerning the talks on the Transnistrian issue,” the analyst said. According to him, the statements made by Vladimir Voronin during the conversation denote Moldova's major interest for Russia's potential, headed by President Medvedev, to condition the efficient solution of the Transnistrian conflict, including by forcing some concessions on behalf of the Transnistrian authorities regarding the efficient participation in the talks. “Despite Chisinau's big expectation that Russian can solve the Transnistrian conflict, Vladimir Voronin voices to tackle the Transnistrian issue at the EU-Russia summit, organized to negotiate the new partnership accord between Russia and the EU. This suggestion belongs to the Lithuanian side, which had tergiversated for long the launch of the Russia-EU talks for a new arrangement. In this action, Chisinau actually contradicts itself, since it doubts the positive and superior role of Russia in settling the conflict, joining the Lithuanian side to ask compulsorily Moscow for a more efficient cooperation in solving the frozen conflicts in the post-Soviet area, instead of not applying its veto in case of a possible accord between the EU and Russia,” the analyst has said .