MOLDOVA PRESIDENT IGOR DODON ADDRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION

A pledge to Transnistrian conflict settlement is an international recognition of the Republic of Moldova’s neutrality, President Igor Dodon stated from the tribune of United Nations General Assembly Session in New York on Thursday evening.

“As President of the Republic of Moldova, I make use of every opportunity to request the de facto recognition and observance of my country’s neutrality status, which is also enshrined in our country’s Constitution.

We do not want to be treated as a neutral territory anymore; this is something different from a neutral state”, said Igor Dodon.

In his words, any attempt to question this status is an unfriendly act against the people of the Republic of Moldova, since such approaches deepen the internal dissensions of the country even more dramatically.

“Moreover, they jeopardize any chance of advancing in the settlement of the Transnistrian problem and, implicitly, in enhancing the security throughout the region. Our objective and absolute priority for solving the Transnistrian problem is achievable only if the military neutrality status of the Republic of Moldova is preserved”, stated the Moldovan President.

He reminded that from this high tribune, several times the calls were made for withdrawal of foreign military troops and ammunition from the territory of the Republic of Moldova.

“I want to welcome the latest initiatives of the Russian Federation, expressed during the recent visit to Moldova by Russian Defense Minister Shoygu and during the official visit of Moldovan Foreign Minister Popescu to Moscow, to resume the disposal process of foreign ammunition stored in Transnistrian region of my country. This important step, for the first time since 2003, can become crucial for reaching a geopolitical consensus for the political settlement of Transnistrian dispute and for the enhancement of regional security”, said the President.

In his opinion, unlike other frozen conflicts, the Transnistrian case does not have inter-ethnic, religious or other implications, which are particularly difficult to be settled. Moreover, nowadays there is no hatred between ordinary inhabitants on both banks of Nistru River, who interact daily in a peaceful and friendly way. At the base of the conflict were the myopic policies promoted by the leaders of that time, aggravated by the effects generated by dismantling the former USSR in early 1990s. The national elites of that time were not capable enough to face the challenges, and the situation deteriorated into armed conflict.

“Currently, we witness a strong predisposition among common population to identify a mutually acceptable solution to this frozen conflict. The recent progress in the effort to converge the Nistru banks, materialized through various humanitarian, economic and social projects, further strengthened this desire. All these aspects, taken together, represent, in our opinion, a good chance for great diplomats to make a decisive contribution to the settlement of this frozen conflict and to create a positive precedent for solving other tens of such cases throughout the world”, said the Moldovan President.

Igor Dodon expressed his gratitude to all the participants in the Permanent Conference for Political Issues in the negotiation process for Transnistrian settlement, known as "5+2 negotiation format".

“I reaffirm our confidence that this format of negotiations is the most recommended arrangement to find the solution acceptable to all in this problem of major importance for Moldova. Exactly in this format, the special status of Transnistrian region is to be debated and agreed within a sovereign and territorially integrated Moldova, within the internationally recognized borders, with full guarantee of human rights and fundamental freedoms. We also rely on the format in identifying possibilities for the support eventually rendered by our foreign partners in the post-settlement phase of Transnistrian problem”, said President Dodon.