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Vladimir Voronin with what looks like a Romanian flag. It is actually Moldovan. Moldova used to be part of Romania in the past

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - It is all Romania's fault. According to Vladimir Voronin, the President of Moldova, neighboring Romania is to blame for starting the war which Moldova launched against next-door Transdniestria in 1992. And it is also because of Romania that Moldova's claim to the territory hasn't been settled in the sixteen years since then, he thinks.

" - Every time relations improve between Transnistria and Moldova, there are hysterics in Romania," Voronin was quoted by DPA as saying on Tuesday. "But we can only resolve this conflict on our own."

In 1992 Moldovan troops for the first time crossed over the Dniester river which divides it from Transdniestria. This followed a declaration of independence in 1990 by Transdniestria and a similar declaration of independence in 1991 by Moldova.

Historians have documented that the attack on Transdniestria (official name: Pridnestrovie) was carried out with the use of Romanian-supplied arms, tanks and military advisors, and on Tuesday this was fact was confirmed by Vladimir Voronin.

Moldova's President also declared that Bucharest officials compelled former post-Soviet Moldovan leader Mircea Snegur to start the war against Transdniestria and send troops into the border city of Bender, on Transdniestrian territory. Voronin underlined that "these facts must be revealed at all costs."

Romania doesn't see Transnistria as a natural part of Moldova

The Moldovan strongman took note of recent statements by Romanian nationalists saying that Moldova, as a Romanian-speaking nation, should become a part of Romania, and Transdniestria become either part of Russia or Ukraine.

The President of Romania, Traian Basescu, does not consider Transdniestria to be a natural part of Moldova. Basescu said on April 17 that he did not consider the signing of a formal treaty delineating the frontier between Romania and Moldova as a priority, news agency Regnum reported.

Basescu added that “quite a number of people” in Ukraine were discussing, albeit unofficially, the possible return to Ukraine of Transdniestria.

Moldova was part of Romania until 1940, when it was incorporated into the Soviet Union in an act which Moldova later declared to be illegal and void. Located on the other side of the Dniester, a historical border, Transdniestria was never part of Romania at any time in history and has also not been a part of any independent Moldovan state at any time in the past.

Bucharest blamed for conflict

As reported on Tuesday, Vladimir Voronin publicly accused Bucharest officials of stirring up the Transdniester conflict.

" - For years we have attempted to improve relations," claimed Vladimir Voronin, without mentioning steps taken by his government such as the announced confiscation of Tiraspol registered cars or closing the border for exports processed with Transdniestria's customs documents. A 1997 agreement between the two sides, which has not been revoked, gave Transdniestria the right to engage freely in foreign trade on the basis of its own locally issued customs clearances. When Moldova closed the border for these goods in 2006, Transdniestria denounced the move as an illegal economic blockade.

" - For years we have attempted to improve relations," Voronin nevertheless repeated, "but we have found that everywhere we go, there were (political) minefields left behind by our predecessors ... and outsiders in the conflict ... that detonated at our every step," Voronin said in reference to Romania in a televised speech which was shown on the NIT channel.

NIT, a pro-government channel from Moldova, is broadcast without censorship throughout Transdniestria. In contrast, no TV channels from Transdniestria are allowed in Moldova, which also has banned the entry of newspaper from Transdniestria as well.

Former Moldavian PM at the time, Anatol Plugaru, was quoted on Tuesday as confirming that Romania financed the campaign that caused Moldova to leave the USSR.

See also:
» Bender Mayor interviewed about War of Independence [1]
» Parliament prepares Crimes Against Humanity charge against Moldova [2]
» Dynamics of the Moldova / Transdniestria ethnic conflict (1988-92) [3]