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Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner responsible for relations between the European Union and Russia (file)

MOSCOW (Tiraspol Times) - Speaking in Moscow on Monday, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, called for closer cooperation with Russia on common goals such as the settlement talks for Pridnestrovie.

Pridnestrovie - better known in English under its unofficial name, Transnistria - declared independence on 2 September 1990, more than sixteen years ago. Although unrecognized by the international community, it has functioned as a sovereign country ever since and meets the requirements for statehood under international law.

Located to the east of the Republic of Moldova, between the Dniester River and Ukraine, the unrecognized country has full sovereignty over a fixed territory of 4,163 sq km with a total of 816 km of defined, demarcated borders and nearly 600,000 inhabitants.

Moldova has never recognized its sovereignty, and de jure the country is internationally considered part of Moldova. This has given rise to settlement talks between the two sides, known as 5+2 talks, where Russia and Ukraine and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) participate as mediators between the two sides. A further two participants, USA and the European Union, participate as observers.

Speaking Monday at the European Studies Institute in Moscow, Ferrero-Waldner emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between the European Union and Russia.

" - We would like to work more closely with Russia in our common neighbourhood. We both have a strong interest in the stability and prosperity of our neighbours," said the Commissioner. "Cooperating more closely on issues like Transnistria and the frozen conflicts in the Caucasus would only be beneficial."

Both the European Union and Russia want to help the people of Pridnestrovie, or Transnistria as Ferrero-Waldner calls it, using its Romanian name. In the past, there have been different interpretations of how best to help the more than half a million inhabitants. Russia believes that the will of the people should be taken into account, while Europe has emphasized the so-called territorial integrity of Moldova and given credence to that country's territorial claim over the area.

EU support for Russia, "despite misunderstandings"

Now, there are signs that the two parties are seeking common ground, and that the European Union is understanding the need to take the view of the population into account. In a 17 September referendum, whose results were not recognized by the European Union, more than nine out of ten voters rejected unification with Moldova and declared their wish for Pridnestrovie to continue its quest for independent statehood.

" - We feel the need for a more substantive upgrading of our relationship. Despite the occasional misunderstandings between us, we have an enormous amount in common. And it’s clear that the need to work closely together will only increase in the future. So what better way of cementing the ties between us, and bringing the European continent together, than through a common project for our strategic partnership – a new EU/Russia Framework Agreement," said the European Commissioner.

According to an official press release by the European Union, Benita Ferrero-Waldner expressed strong support for Russian membership of the World Trade Organization.
" - The first step is Russia’s WTO accession, which we strongly support,"

Europe also wants to launch negotiations for a new EU-Russia Agreement at a Summit in Helsinki in November.
" - That would be a truly important signal that we are taking our relations to a new level of intensity."

Benita Ferrero-Waldner was born in 1948. She is the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy and an Austrian diplomat and politician. She is a member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), a conservative political party in Austria.

Her visit to the Russian capital took place as part of the inauguration of the European Studies Institute (EIS). The objective of the European Studies Institute is to train young Russian students and officials to have a better knowledge of EU institutions and decision making procedures, and to offer EU students and specialists the opportunity to improve their understanding of EU/Russia cooperation.

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