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EU warns against over-simplification in Moldova - Transdniestria status talks
Conflict resolution involving the future status of Transdniestria involves an intricate combination of various interests, says Kalman Mizsei. The EU representative warns against excessive simplification of the issue. He says that there are differences with Moldova over economic, political and emotional aspects.
European Union Special Representative Kalman Mizsei says that a future Transdniestria-Moldova settlement can not be simplifiedCHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - The differences between Moldova and Transdniestria are not just economic. They also exist in the political field, as well as on an emotional plane. That is the opinion of the European Union's spokesman and envoy to the conflict, Special Representative Kalman Mizsei.
In an interview with Ukraine's Zerkalo Nedeli ("Weekly Mirror") newspaper, he said that the settlement process participants need to be farsighted and to believe in their ability to achieve a joint solution.
Mizsei said the Moldova/Transdniestria dispute not only has distinct economic aspects, but also exists in both a political and an emotional plane. For this reason, he warned against excessive simplification of the issue, for the conflict between Moldova and Transdniestria is an intricate combination of various interests.
The conflict came to a head in 1992 when Moldova launched military attacks against the Transdniestrian cities of Bender and Dubossary, in a failed attempt to impose its territorial claim over the country which had declared independence nearly two years earlier. A cease-fire was signed the same year, but permanent settlement has not been reached yet. The population of Transdniestria prefers independence, whereas Moldova insists that the area must become part of Moldova even though this runs is unacceptable to a large majority of the local inhabitants.
- Settlement must be mutually agreeable to both sides
In the opinion of EU diplomat Mizsei, there exists a consensus among European Union Member States about the kind of settlement that is desirable, which issues are admissible, and where the red lines run.
According to Moldova's Reporter MD online news service, the European Union believes in a quiet diplomacy and in a settlement which is coordinates the outlooks and interests of both sides to the conflict. An solution which only takes the interest of Moldova into account is unacceptable to both the European Union and to the people of Transdniestria (officially named Pridnestrovie, as per its constitution).
Kalman Mizsei believes the latest initiatives by Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin are reasonably targeted at meeting some of the concrete interests of Transdniestria, and he hopes the Transdniestrians will view these proposals positively.
" - It is essential to see good will coming from both of the Dniester river banks, and, apparently, this is already taking place: Tiraspol has cancelled the so-called migration tax and a punitive domestic customs duty on imports from Moldova recently," said Kalman Mizsei, adding that "all these have been correct steps by the Transdniestrian administration."
- Lifting of travel ban
Touching on Vladimir Voronin's plan to ask the European Union to cancel its punitive travel bans on Transdniestrian officials, Kalman Mizsei claimed that the European Union had imposed the ban in response to human rights violations and that the ban would be lifted after the EU confirmed "serious, real changes in the actions" of Transdniestria.
Mizsei was vague about the benchmark that he and the EU want Transdniestria to meet. He did not specify anything concrete that he wanted Transdniestria to do in order to further improve on its already-improved human rights record. Amnesty International or other independent human rights group are generally more positive in their evaluations of Transdniestria than in their reports covering Moldova.
Concerning the often-touted plans for a federalization of Moldova or a confederation involving Moldova and Transdniestria, Kalman Mizsei spoke in code, saying that the European Union abides by the principle of subsidiarity and is sincerely interested in "providing as much governing authority for Transdniestria as is rationally possible without undermining the functionality and democratic character of a reintegrated Moldovan state."
There was no translation to plain English of what such a statement means, but international observers have recently put the so-called "democratic character" of Moldova in serious doubt after the heavyhanded way that its Communist-led government carried out the mid-2007 local general elections. (With information from Zerkalo Nedeli, Reporter MD)
See also:
» EU spokesman sees openness in Transdniester's civil society
» Transdnestr future to be decided by its people, says Parliament
» Dynamics of the Moldova / Transdniestria ethnic conflict (1988-92)
A conference held at the European Parliament in Brussels concluded that unrecognized states like Pridnestrovie need a way to be heard by the world. "It is necessary to create and sustain permanent mechanisms of involvement and consultation of unrecognized state entities in the international community". This will benefit everyone, says the event's official statement. . . 
