Monument to peacekeepers unveiled in Transdniestria's Bender
TIRASPOL. July 27 (Interfax-AVN) - A monument to soldiers of the joint peacekeeping forces, which include a Russian, a Moldovan, and a Transdniestrian contingent and a group of Ukrainian military observers, has been unveiled in the city of Bender.
The monument has been erected near the Tkachenko Culture Club, which hosts weekly sessions of the Joint Control Commission, the body managing the peacekeeping operation in the Moldovan-Transdniestrian conflict zone.
Taking part in the ceremony were Transdniestrian President Vadim Krasnoselski, Transdniestrian Co-Chairman of the Joint Control Commission Oleg Beliacov, acting Russian Co-Chairman of the Joint Control Commission Pyotr Urzhumov, and the command and servicemen of the Transdniestrian and Russian peacekeeping contingents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Krasnoselski said Tiraspol always agrees to compromises and wishes to continue dialogue with Chisinau but does not see Moldova's reciprocal steps.
"There is the only solution. There can be no options but our independence as a guarantee of our security. Moldovan politicians have said that the only way the Russian presence can legitimately be ousted from here is through 'resolving the territorial dispute', that is, the unification of the two countries - true, it's unclear on what conditions. This is unacceptable. This poses a threat to peace on the banks of the Dniester River. This is a direct path to war," he said.
The main events marking the 25th anniversary of the peacekeeping operation are scheduled for July 29, the day when first Russian peacekeeping units entered the conflict zone in 1992. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Moldovan President Igor Dodon, and Transdniestrian President Vadim Krasnoselski are expected to take part in the celebrations.