 | THE OPPOSITION is a majority in parliament. Now pro-government parties are taking to the streets to try to win back voter support. [more] |  | | |  | FACT AND FICTION blend in how the world sees Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria. In this guide, get just the facts and none of the fiction... [more] |
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Transdniestria wants friendship and cooperation treaty with Moldova
Pridnestrovie (Transdniestria) wants to sign a universal treaty of friendship and cooperation with Moldova, which will end their current state of unresolved war. The announcement came after a telephone conversation between PMR President Igor Smirnov and his Moldovan counterpart. The two Presidents agreed to meet face to face for the first time in seven years.
On the own for nearly 18 years now, 97 percent of the population currently supports independent statehood for PridnestrovieTIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - On Monday, the government of Pridnestrovie (Transdniestria) announced that President Igor Smirnov will meet face to face with Vladimir Voronin, the President of neighboring Moldova, for the first time in seven years.
No date is yet set for the meeting which will take place "in the near future" and which was agreed upon as a result of a direct telephone conversation between Smirnov and Voronin.
Pridnestrovie wants Moldova to sign a universal friendship and cooperation treaty, setting out the framework for mutual relations.
The elected government in Tiraspol confirmed on Monday that it was ready to restart status settlement talks with Moldova as long as these negotiations could be held among equals, without the use of pressure tactics or unilateral measures which damage regional stability.
The two neighboring states, internationally recognized Moldova and unrecognized Pridnestrovie, are separated by the Dniester river which historically has formed a border between Romanian-speakers and Russian-speakers for hundreds of years.
Igor Smirnov (top) will now meet face to face with Vladimir Voronin (below) for the first time in 7 years.
Lower level talks were halted on 28 February 2006 after the Moldovan delegation walked out from negotiations in the so called "5+2" format. In March 2006, Moldova imposed a customs blockade requiring all exports from Pridnestrovie to be accompanied with Moldovan paperwork. Pridnestrovie pointed out that this move was in breach of a 1997 agreement between the two sides under which Pridnestrovie had the right to independent foreign trade, and as a result Pridnestrovie objected to restarting talks until Moldova abided by its previously signed agreements.
- 7 years between meetings
The last meeting between the two presidents took place in 2001, shortly after Moldova's Voronin - a Communist and former Soviet general - had taken power in Moldova.
Russian-speaking Transdniestria Pridnestrovie never part of Romanian-speaking Moldova, although both were together inside the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union broke up, Pridnestrovie decided to return to its pre-1940 status as an autonomous republic. Moldova initially sought reunification with Romania, which is was part of prior to 1940, but later settled for independence.
In 1992, on the day after Moldova had been admitted to the United Nations, Moldovan troops attacked Pridnestrovie - which it calls Transnistria - in an attempt to claim the old Soviet-era borders which were imposed by Stalin. Pridnestrovie managed to defend its independence in a brief war which took an estimated 1500 lives.
Pridnestrovie's proposed friendship and cooperation treaty with Moldova will end the current state of war between the two sides.
Currently the two sides technically are still at war, although the border between Pridnestrovie and Moldova is peaceful and no lives have been lost since a ceasefire agreement was signed in 1992. Maintaining the peace is the responsibility of a joint command of peacekeepers from Russia and three other countries (Moldova, Ukraine and the unrecognized republic of Pridnestrovie) with OSCE supervision.
Pridnestrovie declared independence on 2 September 1990 and has been 'de facto' independent for nearly 18 years. Its population, including a large Moldovan minority, is overwhelmingly in favor of continued independence. In a democratic referendum in 2006, 94 percent of the electorate rejected a common state with Moldova and 97 percent voted in favor of independent, sovereign statehood for Pridnestrovie.
See also:
» Smirnov: "Let's work together with Moldova to solve common problems"
» Pridnestrovie Foreign Minister will sign new deals only if Moldova will keep them
» Transnistria wants Moldova to keep its word and respect earlier agreements
On the web:
» Friendship and Co-operation Treaty between Pridnestrovie and Moldova
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The government of Pridnestrovie has proposed a solution on Permanent Status Negotiations that will be based on consensus with Moldova. Its government sees little or no point in signing an unequal treaty which mostly favors just one of the sides, its Foreign Ministry said. The dispute over Pridnestrovie's territory has lasted almost 18 years. . . 
