Moldovan premier says there is trust between people on two banks of Dniester River
CHISINAU. Oct 15 (Interfax) - Every condition has been created for settling the Transdniestrian crisis yet one of the sides lacks to political will to resume the peace process, Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said during an exclusive interview with Interfax on Tuesday.
"The Transdniestrian conflict has an extremely important aspect that makes it so different from others. There are no problems with confidence, mutual understanding and cooperation between people. There is no misunderstanding on this basic level. Yet certain artificial impediments are obstructing these natural contacts," Leanca said.
"So, we are seeking to remove these impediments by means of various projects and to gradually restore the common spaces with due account of public interests on both banks [of the Dniester River]," the prime minister said.
Over a half of Transdniestrian commodities are being exported to the western bank and EU countries, Leanca said.
Moldova has completed trade zone negotiations with the European Union, "which will improve the [trade] system and change the rules," the prime minister said.
"It is of paramount importance to preserve the duty-free export to the European Union for Transdniestrian businesses. This is a question of people and business. Being fully aware of its importance, we have agreed to continue exports from that region to the EU under the old rules until 2015. That decision was unique. The European Union did not make such decisions earlier. We, however, must find a solution and we insistently urge the Transdniestrian region to start immediate discussions on this issue of primary significance for businessmen and citizens," the Moldovan prime minister said.
Interfax asked when Chisinau would present its Transdniestrian settlement plan. "This will be done at an appropriate moment," Leanca said.
"General parameters of the settlement are universally known and spelled out in various plans, including [the documents] concerning property issues, guarantees to regional businesses, the population and the autonomous budget. Now the issue is that one side lacks the political will to resume the political settlement process. We unwaveringly support this approach. And we have enough projects," he added.
As to the risks of Moldova's losing Transdniestria in its rapprochement with the European Union and related comments by Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Presidential Representative for Transdniestria Dmitry Rogozin, Leanca said, "We have never interpreted statements of Mr. Rogozin this way."
