Tiraspol, 10 May. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The Constitutional Court of Moldova, which has actually equated the Russian peacekeepers with occupying forces, has somewhat exceeded its powers, said the head of the Pridnestrovian delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC), Oleg Belyakov. He recalled that the 1992 agreement was an international treaty which had been ratified by both Moldova and the Russian Federation.
«If we are talking today about the personnel of the peacekeeping forces, which includes Russian, Moldovan and Pridnestrovian contingents, they are all under the JCC's operative control, and in accordance with this international treaty only JCC can make decisions on all issues relating to the peacekeeping operation. This includes the number of personnel, their location and fulfilment of the assigned tasks. It is only in terms of expressing opinions rather than in legal terms that anyone can interfere in the implementation of this agreement," said Belyakov.
In particular, Article 4 of the agreement enjoins the Russian forces stationed in the region to observe neutrality, whereas the issues of the [Russian] army's status, the procedures and timing of its withdrawal should be determined in negotiations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova but not by a decision of the judicial authority of one of the signatory countries.
«There is certain political scheming that is being voiced now," he commented on the Moldovan court's decision.
