Azerbaijan, Baku, 24 September/ Trend , corr E. Ostopenko/ Though all efforts are made to solve Trans-Dniester conflict, Russia will not let Moldova and Trans-Dniester Region unite, experts believe.
їTo expect Russia to solve Trans-Dniester conflict is nonsense,ї Oazu Nantoi, director of program of Public Policy Institute ( Moldova) said to Trend by telephone.
Dmitry Voronin, President of Moldova and Igor Smirnov, President of self-declared Trans-Dniester Republic of Moldova are expected to meet in September in Bender. This will be second meeting on the level of head of states this year.
The agreement which Presidents are expected to sign will start up new process of resolution of Trans-Dniester problem. The agreement will be signed in Russia not earlier than November, Russian Kommersant newspaper reported.
Russia has been involved in the resolution of this conflict for a long time which did not yield any results. After recognizing independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian authorities became more active and sought to act as peacekeepers.
Moldavian experts disagree whether Kremlin will run the regime in the self-declared Trans-Dniester Republic.
ї Russia controls political processes speaking in behalf of two: on behalf of himself and leader of rebel region,ї Dumitru Minzarari, analyst on foreign policy and security policy of Institute for Development of Social Initiatives ( Moldova) said.
їThe actions of Trans-Dniester leader serves interests of the Russian leadership, he said.
Smirnov indirectly confirmed reluctance of Russia to unit Trans-Dniester region and Moldova by stating that Trans-Dniester Republic of Moldovaїs joining Moldova is not possible. їWe have never lived in Moldova. Speaking frankly, we do not wish to live there after bloody aggression, ongoing blockade, blackmail and threat,ї RIA Novosti reported Smirnov as saying.
Russiaїs reluctance not to solve conflict in Trans-Dniester is explicable. It the two banks of Dniester will unite finally, it will pave a way for Moldovaїs admission to NATO which contradicts Russiaїs geopolitical interests.
Addressing the NATO Council in Brussels in June, Vladimir Voronin said there are obstacles for Moldova accession to EU and NATOїs enlargement to its borders. ї Russiaїs illegal presence in our territory and unsolved Trans-Dniester conflict has a bad impact on security in the region as a whole,ї Kommersant reported.
Though Russia demonstrates peacekeeping efforts to solve the conflict, it is not going to pull out its contingent from the region.
Russia is not expected to make serious changes to its policy toward Moldova, Andrei Savelev, deputy chairman of Russian State Duma said. їAs regarding Russian contingent in Trasn-Dniester region, it will remain there as before,ї Savelev said to Russian Noviye Izvestiye newspaper.
Uniting with Moldova can yield very good results for Moldova.
It would contribute to the influx of investments and improve trade and business contacts with neighbors, European expert Amanda Akcacoca said to Trend by email.
Despite all these advantages, Trans-Dniester authorities are firm in the position.
Moldova-Trans-Dniester conflict broke out after break-up of USSR. Several provinces in the left bank of Dniester river broke away and declared Trans-Dniester Republic of Moldova. In 1992, the conflict flared into an armed confrontation. Allied Peacekeeping Forces of Russia, Moldova, Trans-Dniester region and military observers from Ukraine are providing security in the conflict zone.
E. Tariverdiyeva and V. Zhavoronova contributed to this article.
The correspondent can be contacted at - [email protected]