Bendery, March 17/ Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Statements such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution in which Russia is accused of aggression against Moldova and the Pridnestrovian occupation, cannot but cause concern among people who are related to the peacekeeping operation. This was stated by the co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) from Pridnestrovie Oleg Belyakov.
The Pridnestrovian delegation head stressed that the peacekeeping mission has fulfilled its duties in its entirety and for 30 years has provided the region’s inhabitants with the opportunity to work undisturbed and to bring up their children.
“We know the decision with certainty which was made back in the year 2009 by the Moldovan, Russian and Pridnestrovian Presidents that any change in such format is possible only after the Pridnestrovian conflict complete settlement,” Oleg Belyakov reminded. When such a settlement comes, it’ll be possible to talk at the political level about the peacekeeping operation's further destiny. But today we know that this’s the most reliable mechanism that provides every maintaining peace form on this land. And such pronouncements undermine the very mechanism and create uncertainty in its working.”
It should be reminded that the main cause of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict was the Moldavian SSR authorities’ discriminatory policy. The language laws adopted at the end of the 1980s under nationalists’ pressure, the actual declaration of non-titular nationalities as second-class people caused discontent and led to the protest movements beginning in Gagauzia and Pridnestrovie. However, instead of looking for a compromise, Chisinau took a course towards the forceful discriminatory decisions’ imposition.
The response to the Chisinau actions was the statehood restoration in Pridnestrovie as a means of citizens’ rights and freedoms protecting. A further tension escalation led to an armed conflict in the year 1992 when the Moldovan security forces unleashed hostilities, during which more than 800 Pridnestrovians perished. At the same time, the Soviet Union’s 14th Army (since April transferred under the Russian jurisdiction), was stationed in Pridnestrovie and received an order from Moscow to remain neutral. After the Moldovan forces attacked the Bendery town, which led to numerous casualties, Russia intervened in the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict. In July of the year of 1992, Presidents of RM and RF signed an agreement, according to which Russian peacekeepers were entered into Pridnestrovie. They can be withdrawn only after the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict settlement. The peacekeeping operation in Pridnestrovie, which has been going on for almost 30 years, is recognized as one of the most successful in history, however, the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict hasn’t yet been resolved.
