Press
COMPROMISE WITH SMIRNOV IS IMPOSSIBLE – POPOV
Any compromise with Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov is impossible, Moldovan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Popov presumes.
Popov stated over the Echo of Moscow radio that Smirnov has interests of his own, and places them above everything.
“Mr. Smirnov has demonstrated over last 20 years that his main goal is to pursue his own interests. He has always controlled everything in Transnistria, but practically nobody can control him. This is a convenient position”, said the Moldovan deputy foreign minister.
And, still, Andrei Popov continues to believe that with the help of Russia and international mediators, by means of maintaining a direct dialog, it is possible to achieve a worthy, viable compromise with those Tiraspol politicians who really express the Transnistrians’ interests and who can really speak on the Transnistrians’ behalf.
Andrei Popov presumes Russia does have necessary levers of influence on the Transnistrian leaders.
“It is thank to the Russian [financial] assistance and to the Russian natural gas supplied at a reduced price that Transnistria survives, and Transnistrian pensioners can somehow make two ends meet. Moscow has just announced its new program – US$15 [a month] for each Transnistrian pensioner from the Russian budget. This is really a great help for the pensioners”, said the Moldovan deputy minister.
Popov stressed the Transnistria conflict is just insoluble unless Chisinau and Tiraspol establish a mutual understanding and restore trust between the people living on both Dniester banks independently of external factors.
