International weapons inspection refutes dangers, finds no risks of unauthorized sales

American OSCE-mission head Louis O'Neill (right) inspects a weapons depot in Kolbasna, northern PMR, on Monday

KOLBASNA (Tiraspol Times) - No danger. That was the conclusion by Belgium's Bertrand de Crombrugghe, after an international team had visited and evaluated the security situation at the Pridnestrovie-based weapons storage facilities.

On 13 November, a delegation of 29 high-ranking ambassadors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) visited the Russian-guarded arms depots in Kolbasna, northern Pridnestrovie. The ambassadors were primarily interested in the norms of ammunition storage, according to information submitted by Pridnestrovie's Ministry of Information and Communications.

The OSCE delegation inspected ammunition storage facilities, and afterwards the head of the OSCE delegation Bertrand de Crombrugghe admitted while speaking to journalists in the Kolbasna village Monday that the weapons depots present no danger in terms of the storage regime. Later that day, during a formal press conference, he confirmed that the OSCE ambassadors considered the Kolbasna facilities to be “well-guarded depots and well-guarded armaments.”

This official evaluation contrasts with a series of allegations by Moldova, claiming improper storage and theft of ammunitions from the arms depots in Kolbasna. The Chisinau-based authorities have, however, failed to provide facts that would support their accusations. Analysts point out that Moldova's claims appear to be groundless and politically motivated, rather than based on any verified facts.

Head of OSCE delegation advocates disarming Moldova and PMR simultaneously

Despite the safety of the well-guarded facilities, most members of the international community prefer an overall and general demilitarization of the region. Bertrand de Crombrugghe advocates early withdrawal of the Russian armaments from Pridnestrovie. He also advocates disarming both sides of the conflict, Moldova and well as Pridnestrovie, at the same time.

The two sides fought a brief but bloody war in 1992, as a result of Moldova's refusal to recognize Pridnestrovie's 1990 declaration of independence. Pridnestrovie has held two referenda on independence, and in both cases, the population has overwhelmingly supported independent statehood for the new and emerging country. Despite the popular will of the voters, and its failing in the 1992 attack to impose its sovereignty over Pridnestrovie, Moldova has maintained a territorial claim which has prevented Pridnestrovie from being recognized internationally as a sovereign state. Also known as Transnistria or Transdniester, the unrecognized country has been de facto independent for more than 16 years. It meets all the requirements for statehood under international law.

The arms depots in the Kolbasna region of Pridnestroive were created more sixty years ago, when PMR was part of the Soviet Union. In Soviet times, they were part of the jurisdiction of the Odessa military command (Ukraine, not Moldova). The main part of the ammunitions was brought to the depots after the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from East Germany and Czechoslovakia, itself a country which, like Moldova and Pridnestrovie, split into two separate parts after the fall of communism. So far, the Russian Federation has withdrawn about 12,000 tons of arms and armaments out of a total 42,000 tons. A comprehensive system of guarding the remaining arms and ammunitions stockpiles is maintained in the depots. All storage facilities are supplied with early warning systems and modern fire prevention systems.

As shown by the recent international inspections, the depots are sufficiently protected. Nevertheless, Moldova has called on Russia to withdraw the guards from the facilities, as part of an overall demand that Russian forces leave the area. Both Russia and the OSCE see this as premature. One observer points out that the current system of storage is stable and secure, but if the guards simply leave, that will not necessarily be the case. The presence of armed guards under international military command is a stabilizing factor. This stability would no longer be present if the storage deposits were guarded by either of the two sides directly involved in the conflict. (With information from Regnum News Agency)

See also:
» Confidence-building visit: OSCE delegation inspects Kolbasna military depots