Moldovan Separatists Unblock Border Traffic

Protests on the Ukraine-Moldova border earlier this month (ITAR-TASS) March 17, 2006 -- A Ukrainian official today said separatists in Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester unblocked road traffic at the region's border with Ukraine, ending two weeks of protests over Kyiv's new customs regulations.

Dmytro Tkach, Ukraine's special representative on settling the Transdniester dispute, told Ukrainian television that "all crossing points have been unblocked."

Tkach said the breakaway region's authorities had decided on March 16 to restore road traffic across the border to "bring cargo into Transdniester."

Ukraine imposed new regulations on March 3 requiring all cargo to be cleared by Moldovan customs officers.

Kyiv took the measure amid pressure from the European Union, which is concerned about smuggling in and from the internationally unrecognized Transdniester region.

(AP)