Geopolemics.com :: Moldova

Countries: Moldova
Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 - 01:31 PM
	The fall-out from Rome Moldova cannot but be adversely affected by the rumpus developing between Romania, its alter-ego, and Italy, in which Romanian crooks and worse, rapist murderers, are now loose in Rome, Milan and elsewhere. It all certainly puts back any prospect of Moldova following Romania soon into the EU fold. It is all about subscribing to the Treaty of Rome after all. This is anyway an unlikely eventuality so long as the territorial integrity of the Moldovan state remains in question, although it remains a reasonable long-term goal. Moldova in crisis Accusations of double standards are flying across the Dniester river, as Pridnestrovie (also known informally as Transnistria) blames Moldova for saying one thing but acting in a totally contrary way. The issue: The first talks to resolve their differences in more than a year and a half, which were supposed to be held in November in Madrid, but which had to be called off after Moldova announced that it wouldn't take part. Pridnestrovie had already confirmed its willingness to attend. On 13 November 2007, a meeting was supposed to have taken place in Spain, between representatives of the sides, mediators, and observers within (a cumbersome title for a complex affair) the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in the Framework of the "5+2" Moldova-Pridnestrovie Settlement Negotiation Process. The meeting was planned as the first of its kind since the talks were interrupted on 28 February 2006, when the representatives of Moldova unilaterally and abruptly abandoned an ongoing session. Mediators want talks back on track Ever since Moldova walked away from the status settlement talks, representatives of the three guarantor countries and mediators - Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE - as well as the two observers - the European Union and the United States - have tried to kick start a resumption of the dialogue. Over the past year, they have held numerous meetings without Moldova and Pridnestrovie, and have had talks directly with the sides on a one-on-one basis. But Moldova and Pridnestrovie have not sat down at the same table in the "5+2" format since early 2006, when Moldova walked out. Hoping to restart formal contacts between Chisinau and Tiraspol in the "5+2" format, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, led an official delegation that visited the two capitals in October. In Tiraspol, the delegation spoke to the PMR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the renegade and unrecognised country's president, Igor Smirnov. On 31 October 2007, Pridnestrovie received a written invitation from the OSCE Spanish Chairmanship to take part in the meeting of representatives from the sides, mediators, and observers within the Permanent Conference on Political Issues in Madrid. A week later, on 6 November 2007, Pridnestrovie's Foreign Ministry confirmed in writing that it would be glad to participate in the meeting. Refusal to take part Initially, just like Pridnestrovie, Moldova had also said that it wanted to resume the 5+2 status settlement talks, that it accepted the OSCE invitation, just as Pridnestrovie had already done, and that it was willing to go to Madrid. But at the last moment, as the organizational matters of venue and time were being coordinated, the Moldovan delegation, in the person of Moldovan Minister of Reintegration ,Vasile Sova, refused to take part in the Madrid meeting, according to an official statement by Pridnestrovie's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This, says the statement, means that "Chisinau once again demonstrated its adherence to "double standards" in its approaches to settlement of its relations with Tiraspol: in word declaring one thing, but in deed practising quite another." " - The ultimatum of breaking off the Madrid meeting," says Tiraspol, " demonstrates once again to the international community the real policy of the Moldovan authorities, aimed at exerting pressure on Pridnestrovie, infringing on the rights of Pridnestrovian citizens, and forcing Pridnestrovie to accept Chisinau's terms." Initiatives on the economy Moldova is now the poorest economy in Europe. It needs a new idea or two to get out of its predicament. Moldova is poised to set up special economic zones around airport transportation terminals, the republic's government said adding that the cabinet had approved respective amendments to the law on free enterprise. According to Moldova's Economy and Trade Ministry, the move will help Moldova raise considerable investment and attract cutting-edge technology to new areas. Furthermore, free zones would be set up in traditional industrial centres and communications hubs making them all the more attractive for investors. It is presumed that the enlarged list of approved activities will enhance the efficiency of Moldova's free economic zones, while transit wholesale services provided globally are fairly profitable. The major requirement for foreign trade activities that rules out any negative effect domestically is that goods transited via free zones should not be admitted to Moldova's market. Note: To read more, click here

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