Moldovan representatives in the JCC have not explained the refusal to approve the Russian representative. The work of the commission is still being blocked.
«We can see a clear position of the Moldovan side to block the rotation of peacekeepers. It seems this uncoordinated position and reference to some papers Moldova has sent to the Russian representatives are unfounded. The approval of the Russian member is within the JCC's competence. We do not understand what document can restrict this approval. Moreover, such documents must be agreed with the JCC," said the head of the Pridnestrovian delegation to the JCC, Oleg Belyakov, in an interview with Noviosti Pridnestrovya.
Pridnestrovian JCC members say that this breaches the 1992 framework agreement on the principles of peaceful settlement.
«If the 1992 agreement is violated and one side demonstratively invents new rules for recruiting peacekeepers, a question arises if the Moldovan side refuses to comply with the framework agreement. We must clearly realise that there is a whole package of the other documents following up the 1992 agreement, particularly Odessa agreements and JCC resolutions," said Oleg Belyakov.
According to him, in this way the Moldovan side is trying to shatter the existing peacekeeping format.
«It sometimes seems to me that someone wants very much the peacekeeping operation to fail, that someone has got tired of stable peace and now is in need of some pretext to destabilise the situation. Pridnestrovie will do its best to resist it. We will insist on fulfilling all the fundamental regulations and principles of the peacekeeping operation and will support the Russian Federation," said Oleg Belyakov.
The Moldovan side has been refusing to approve a new JCC member — Russian representative — for nearly two months. Russia expresses concern over this situation. Russian JCC delegates note that in 2015 Moldova took a number of actions that directly obstruct Russia's participation in the peacekeeping mission as a guarantor state as it is stipulated in the Agreement on principles of peaceful settlement of 21 July 1992.
«The situation is rather disturbing as one of the parties is furthering such state of affairs in securing the peacekeeping operation that is likely to destabilise the situation in the Security Zone and the area of conflict settlement on the whole," says the statement released by the Russian delegation to the JCC.
