Moldovan premier on the Transnistrian conflict settlement
Moldova's new authorities will start talks with the breakaway Dniester region (aka Transnistria) from choosing another approach to the Dniester settlement, Prime Minister Vlad Filat has said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant (on 9 Oct. 2009).
He said that "reintegration should take place between people and not only between politicians".
Filat said that the current peacekeeping format "is rather competent, we simply have to be more open and more energetic". As concerns "the peacekeeping mission in the Dniester region, it has to be changed".
"We have no war here. I thank all those who have ensured peace for all this time. But do go to the border with the Dniester region: there are tanks, steel pots, tommy guns, camoufladged servicemen. I believe this is not right. And I believe that it suits Russia to show everyone how a conflict can be solved peacefully," he said.
The prime minister said that "it is necessary to pull out the Russian armament and troops in order to settle the conflict politically ", although he admitted that "this will not solve the issue".
He said that the Georgian scenario will not repeat in Moldova, because "the situation is absolutely different" in the country.
Filat said that the issue of Moldova's language has turned into a political one long ago, but the language spoken in the country is Romanian.
"The fact that the language is called Moldovan in the constitution is due to the conjuncture that existed when the constitution was adopted. Do ask Russian-language speakers in Chisinau what language we speak and they will tell you this is Romanian," he said.
The prime minister denied rumours about Moldova's unification with Romania, describing them as "a direct result of the propaganda promoted by the Communists during the election campaign".
"I do not conceal that we are interested in normal relations with Romania. Our government's action programme stipulates the signing of a basic political agreement with Romania and an agreement on the demarcation of the Moldovan-Romanian border. We will deal with these. And we will dot the i's in this issue. It is enough to speculate on Moldova's unification with Romania. Moldova has established itself as a state and people who live here consider themselves citizens of this country. The public is against unification and legally this is impossible," he said.
Infotag, Moldovan news agency
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