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Moldova & breakaway Transdniestr to talk again

07.04.2008

CHISINAU, April 7, 2008 (AFP) - Leaders of the former Soviet republic of Moldova and its estranged breakaway region Transdniestr have agreed to talk again after silence between them for seven years, their spokesmen said Monday.
The president of Romanian-speaking Moldova and the head of Russian-speaking Transdniestr will hold their first talks since 2001 in a renewed attempt to resolve conflicts that once took them into war as the Soviet Union was collapsing.
After their last meeting in 2001 Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin swore publicly never again to talk to whom he called "that bandit," Igor Smirnov, the leader of Transdniestr.
The latest development suggests some movement in the stalemate following talks between Voronin and President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which has backed Transdniestr.
"President Vladimir Voronin and Igor Smirnov have agreed on a personal meeting to discuss developing measures of confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol," said a Moldovan statement. No dates were given.
Moldavia, as it was then, was annexed by Stalin and became one of the 16 constituent republics of the Soviet Union. The province of Transdniestr declared unilateral independence in 1990, and a local war ensued.
Despite military and economic support from Russia, Transdniestr has never succeeded in obtaining international recognition.
Since 2001 contacts have remained at expert level, and even they tailed off two years ago.
Now the Russians, who still have troops in Transdniestr, say they are cautiously optimistic about the new talks.
"We hope progress made recently will take on concrete forms so as to emerge from this impasse," said special Moscow envoy Valery Nesterushkin, quoted by Ria Novosti news agency.
Voronin, a communist, was voted into power in 2001 with a promise to settle the Transdniestr question. He spoke of a breakthrough after his recent talks with Putin.
Russian-speaking Transdniestr unilaterally declared independence after Moldova made Romanian its official language.
Fighting between Moldovan and Transdniestrian forces ensued, killing several hundred people before the intervention of Russian forces.

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