Moldova to insist on putting withdrawal of Russian forces from its territory on agenda of UN General Assembly session - speaker
CHISINAU. April 19 (Interfax) - Moldova will insist on adopting a UN resolution urging Russia to withdraw its forces from Moldovan territory, Moldovan parliamentary Chairman Andrian Candu said at a press conference summing up outcomes of his visit to the United States on Thursday.
"During conversations with high-ranking UN representatives, we also discussed other matters, I particularly said that we insisted on including a draft resolution on the need to withdraw the operative group of Russian forces from Moldovan territory in the UN General Assembly agenda," Candu said.
Moldova proposed putting such a draft resolution on the UN General Assembly agenda before its 2017 fall session, but it was not discussed then, he said.
"There have been a lot of speculations and interpretations on this matter. I'd like to remind you that we insist on withdrawing the Russian forces from Moldova, which are stationed here unlawfully, rather than the Russian peacekeeping forces, as some media tried to interpret the matter. At the same time, the Russian Federation created some obstacles for this resolution to be put on the agenda," he said.
"We have secured support from a number of countries, such as the United States, Germany and others, so that the issue can be put on the agenda at the UN General Assembly's fall session," Candu said.
He said he also had a number of meetings at the United States Congress.
"I'd like to say that the U.S. Congress also has a resolution supporting the process of Moldova's European integration and urging for the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the republic's territory. I hope this document will be passed in a foreseeable future," Candu said.
The group of Russian forces in Moldova was set up in 1995 and includes two independent motorized infantry battalions and a guard and logistics battalion.