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Pridnestrovie's Foreign Minister Valeri Litskai explains why his country has better legal grounds for independence than Kosovo

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Rejecting the Kosovo precedent, Foreign Minister Valeri Litskai says that Pridnestrovie has a much more solid basis for claiming independent statehood than the province which broke away unilaterally from Serbia last month.

According to the Minister, "for Pridnestrovie, Kosovo is not a precedent in the full sense of the word."

" - Pridnestrovie was established as a state long before Kosovo. Also, historical, and legal grounds for these states’ existence are different."

Nevertheless, Kosovo’s example may be used by Pridnestrovie, which, according to the diplomat, "is only now beginning its path towards international recognition."

Commenting on recognition results, Foreign Minister Valeri Litskai believes that Kosovo has been misled by some in Washington, D.C., who bit off more than they could chew.

" - The USA promised a quick recognition of Kosovo by over 100 states, the Kosovans themselves held that Kosovo would be immediately recognized by all the states of Islamic world. However, the process is procrastinated. Now, Kosovo is recognized by fewer than 40 states," said Valeri Litskai.

" - Today, Kosovo has zero chance of becoming a U.N. member state. Russia and China will both strongly oppose this. Likewise, Kosovo can also not join the European Union. Six EU member-states are against that, in particular Greece and Spain. And Kosovo will not be allowed to join the OSCE or the WTO either, since a veto is applicable there as well,” Valeri Litskai stressed.

The diplomat did not rule out that Kosovo could eventually become another “semi-recognized state” along the lines of Macedonia, Northern Cyprus, or Taiwan. Although a hint of schadenfreude could be detected in his voice, this sort of international status is currently also the most likely short- to medium-term outcome for Pridnestrovie as well.

Seeking friendship and co-operation with Moldova

Kosovo was also mentioned in an official document which PMR President Igor Smirnov gave to his Moldovan counterpart during a meeting in Bender on 11 April, Pridnestrovie explained in detail why it believes a "Kosovo precedent" is not needed and why it has sufficient grounds for independence even without the U.S. recognition of Kosovo as a country.

The full text is entitled "Political and legal background for the Friendship and Co-operation Treaty between Moldova and Pridnestrovie."

In it, Pridnestrovie tells Moldova that it has followed the negotiations over Kosovo closely "while of course not considering the proclamation and subsequent recognition of Kosovo's independence to be a determining factor in its own independence struggle."

At the same time, Pridnestrovie makes it clear that one of the lessons from Kosovo which also applies to its own case is that independence was recognized for a territory "which was able to which was able to withstand pressure from a metropolitan state."

Kosovo was able to withstand the pressure for 9 years and, to help it do so, was supported by some 16,000 heavily armed NATO soldiers paid for by the United States and others in the West. In the case of Pridnestrovie, it has so far held out for 18 years without any support from NATO. A mere 1,500 peacekeepers from a total of four different states - Moldova, Pridnestrovie, Ukraine and Russia - are present to oversee that the cease fire agreement is being adhered to.

Finally, Pridnestrovie notes in its letter to Moldova that the example of Kosovo showed that the right to self-determination is given priority in resolving conflicts which have similar prerequisites. The complete text of the document is available online. [1]

See also:
» Pridnestrovie has better grounds for independence than Kosovo, says analyst [2]
» Kosovo-based diplomat: Transnistria has more reasons for independence than Kosovo [3]
» Kosovo double standards lead to criticism; new Transdniestria comparisons [4]

Opinion and commentary:
» No precedents in the unique case of Transdniester [5]
» Double standards over Kosovo [6]

On the web:
» Political and legal background for the Friendship and Co-operation Treaty between Moldova and Pridnestrovie [7]