Moldovan defense minister sees Russian troops' withdrawal as way to resolve Transdniestrian conflict
CHISINAU. July 12 (Interfax) - It will be possible to resolve the Transdniestrian conflict only after Russian troops leave this region, Moldovan Defense Minister Anatol Salaru said at a press conference in Chisinau on Tuesday, as he was summing up results of the NATO summit in Warsaw.
"We believe that this lingering format of the peacekeeping operation ran its course a long time ago. We should shift to a civilian observation mission with an international mandate," Salaru said.
He said that Russian military units were stationed in Moldova against the law.
"The world should know that nothing has changed in the settlement process since 1992, when the 'hot' stage of the conflict ended, and a Russian task force - units of the Russian occupation army and its peacekeepers - is still stationed in eastern Moldova. This is against the law," Salaru said.
It will be possible to resolve the Transdniestrian conflict through peace talks and relevant agreements after the Russian troops are withdrawn, the defense minister said.
He also called illegal Transdniestrian peacekeeping units.
"When the ceasefire and settlement agreements were signed in summer 1992, President of Moldova Mircea Snegur and President of Russia Boris Yeltsin put their signatures under those documents. The two sides, Russia and Moldova, were expected to act as peacekeepers in the post-conflict situation. What does Transdniestria have to do with it? It is not a part of this operation," the minister said.
Salaru said it was his task at the NATO summit to present "the true state of affairs on the Dniester" to Moldova's international partners.
NATO countries believe that the Russian military must leave the territory of the republic, Salaru said.
"NATO demands that the territorial integrity of Moldova, as well as Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, be ensured. All that was indicated in the summit documents. At the same time, the alliance will stay neutral towards Moldova," the minister said.
He lauded results of the NATO summit in Warsaw.
"It was the first NATO summit to assign a whole paragraph of its final document to Moldova; our country was mentioned four times at the summit. The NATO summit has become an important stage in the process of ending the Cold War unleashed on the left flank of the alliance by military operations of Russia, which breached the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine," Salaru said.
"NATO seeks to help create a modern and efficient army in its relations with Moldova. There is a mechanism to make this goal come true. A reform document - a national security strategy - is being elaborated. Two stages of technical and material re-equipment of the republican army under NATO standards will come next. Our main partners in this daring endeavor are Poland, the United States and Romania," the minister said.
Salaru has repeatedly called for Moldova's abandonment of its neutrality and entry into NATO. The opposition Party of Socialists and Party of Communists filed a motion of no-confidence in Salaru with the parliament in early June and demanded his resignation due to his statements. The Moldovan ruling coalition turned down a resolution to that end.