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Transdniestria declared independence in 1990. It is not yet clear what sort of attraction that a union with Moldova could offer

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - Louis O'Neill, the former Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, is openly opposed to Moldova's planned blockade of Transdniestria-registered cars which is supposed to begin on the first day of January, 2008.

In an interview aired by the Moldovan ProTV-Chisinau channel this week, O'Neill said that Moldova had made a decision that was definitely not useful for a rapprochement of the conflicting sides.

Referring to the Moldovan resolution of 7 November 2007 to prohibit cars with Transdniester license plates to drive in Moldova, the former head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova thinks that it is hardly possible to hold a Chisinau-Tiraspol meeting in conditions when 150,000 car owners have been placed in a position where they are prevented from freedom of movement.

He stated openly that the Moldovan license-plate idea - which was decided without any sort of consultation with any Transdniestrian representatives - has marked a step back in the negotiation process.

The Moldovan decision unilaterally breaks the earlier agreed-upon “Protocol on mutual acknowledgment in the territory of Pridnestrovie and Moldova of documents issued by competent authorities of the parties” of 16 May 2001, signed by the President of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, and the President of PMR, Igor Smirnov, in the presence of representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE.

With the now-broken 2001 agreement, Moldova agreed to accept Transdniestria’s car registrations as valid, and Transdniestria did the same for Moldova.

American Louis O'Neill, ex-head of OSCE's Moldova mission, has criticism of the Moldovan government's approach and its strong-arm tactics against 150,000 Transdniestrian vehicle owners. (File photo)

No choice but to negotiate

Touching on Moldovan/Transdniestrian settlement perspectives, O'Neill made it clear that a new plan for conflict settlement will inevitably appear one day, and that such new plan will by necessity contain some elements from the so-called Kozak plan, which had numerous items that were supported by both governments on either side of the Dniester river.

Louis O'Neill said that there are no alternatives to negotiations if Moldova wants to settle its relations with Transdniestria. This was interpreted as a clear warning to those in the Moldovan government that think a solution can be forced on the Transdniestrian people through economic blockades and other pressure tactics which seek to isolate them and drive them into deeper poverty. He believes the conflicting sides should make concessions for one another, but currently they are not demonstrating such desire.

The American ex-diplomat said that after the informal meeting held in Odessa (Ukraine) last October 22-24, when the international mediators and observers had managed, for the first time over last year and a half, to place representatives of both Chisinau and Tiraspol at the same table. With Moldova's Vasile Sova and Transdniestrias minister of foreign affairs Valery Litskai sitting down together, hope appeared that the negotiation process would be restarted. It had been unilaterally abandoned by Moldova on 28 February 2006.

The parties then agreed to hold an ordinary meeting on November 10, but it failed to take place after Moldova unilaterally refused to comply with the plans. No explanation was offered for Moldova's failure to sit down at the negotiating table.

Moldovan magnet theory

Somewhat incredulously, Louis O'Neill stated that if Moldova succeeds in achieving freedom of the mass media, among a number of other "necessary improvements", then "it will become kind of a magnet for Transnistria residents."

Moldova, the would-be magnet, is officially the poorest country in Europe. There was no comments in regards to opinion polls which show that more than nine out of ten Transdniestrians are in favor of independent statehood, and opposed to the kind of regime that is currently ruling Moldova.

Highlighting plurality, Louis O'Neill underscored that power in Transdniestria is not at all something monolithic. He stated that there exist various groups and positive developments such as for instance the zero rate on imports from Moldova and a recent cancellation of immigration taxes for crossing the borders into Transdniestria.

Louis O'Neill, who was supposed to stay on as OSCE head until 2008, cut his job short and ended his tour of duty to Moldova in mid-November. His shorter-than-expected career in Moldova had been filled with controversy and accusations of favoritism, bias and one-sided antagonism against Transdniestria. Accusations of improprieties were also aired. In March 2007 O'Neill was caught at a Moscow airport as he was attempting to smuggle cultural artifacts out of the country. In August, authorities announced that they would issue a warrant for his arrest and seek his extradiction through Interpol if he failed to arrive for questioning in the case. (With information from Infotag)

See also:
» Louis O'Neill leaves OSCE top job in Moldova [1]
» Outgoing head of Moldova OSCE Mission “will return to private business” [2]
» American OSCE-head wanted for questioning in smuggling case [3]