Chisinau, 1 December 2023 (TDI): Moldova’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, called on Russia to withdraw its troops from the territory of Transnistria at the OSCE meeting of the Council of Ministers.
“The delegation of the Republic of Moldova will participate in the 30th annual meeting of the OSCE Council of Ministers in Skopje on November 29-30,” the statement said.
Furthermore, Popescu added that a panel titled “War of Aggression against Ukraine and the Need for a Functional OSCE during the Conflict” will kick off the summit and focus on the country. Partner nations will denounce the Russian Federation’s illegitimate war against Ukraine during this panel.
“At the ministerial conference, the delegation of the Republic of Moldova will reiterate its condemnation of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, once again call for the withdrawal of illegal Russian troops from our country, and discuss the importance of a peaceful resolution to the Transnistrian conflict,” the minister said.
Moreover, Bulgaria has decided to enable its airspace for the plane of Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to allow him to attend the OSCE meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia
Due to the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the OSCE meeting, the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have announced their decision to withdraw from participation.
Josep Borrell, the head of EU foreign policy, will be present at the conference though, stating that someone must speak out against Russia. Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken also confirmed his participation at the conference.
What is Transnistria Conflict?
Transnistria is a predominantly Russian-speaking region wedged between the Dniester River and the Ukraine border seceded from Moldova after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The pro-Western government of Moldova was engaged in a battle with the separatists in 1992 that resulted in hundreds of casualties and Russian army assistance on the rebel side.
A 2006 referendum that was not acknowledged by the outside community saw 97.1% of voters support joining Russia, crushing Moldova’s aspirations of joining the EU along with Romania and other former communist states in Eastern Europe.
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Under pro-Russian separatist leadership, 1,500 Russian troops and a sizable armaments depot are stationed in Transnistria on a permanent basis.
Moldova has made its stance clear on the Transnistria issue in the past. It wants Russian troops stationed along Transnistria’s frontier with Moldova to be replaced with an observer mission from the OSCE, a proposal that was rejected by Moscow.
