Moldova's initiative to discuss the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Pridnestrovie at the UN General Assembly will not contribute to the process of peaceful settlement in the existing «5+2» format, Russia's UN representative Vasily Nebenzya commented on Moldova's appeal to the UNO in an interview with Tass,.
The diplomat agreed that the General Assembly was an inappropriate venue to discuss this issue. He called Moldova's decision «rather unfriendly and quite unexpected," noting that Russia had not been warned in advance.
«Of course, this will not contribute to the peace process, which has long been established in the '5+2' format. We'll openly say this to our Moldovan colleagues," said Nebenzya. He expressed the view that the situation «reflects differences» between the country's leadership.
Tass has already reported that the Moldovan government had officially appealed to the UN with a request to put the issue of the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Pridnestrovie on the agenda of the 72nd session of the General Assembly, which begins on 12 September. In his letter, Moldova's UN representative, Victor Moraru, states that the presence of Russian troops «constitutes a threat to international peace and security». According to the Russian representative, a decision to include additional items in the agenda will be made at the meeting of the Assembly's General Committee in early September.
The Moldovan parliament has recently adopted a declaration on the necessity of withdrawing Russian troops from Pridnestrovie, and the country’s constitutional court has ruled that the authorities can use any means to enforce it.
