Chisinau, 4 September 1997 (RFE/RL) -- Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned foreign parliamentarians who joined in Tiraspol's seventh annual independence day celebrations on Tuesday.
In a statement, the ministry said leftist politicians from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine had complicated the situation in the breakaway region by encouraging the idea of independent statehood for the self-proclaimed Transdniestr Republic.
The statement singled out Russian Communist Party Duma deputy Oleg Mironov, who reportedly said that Russia is interested in the republic and will promote Tiraspol's international recognition. Transdniestr President Igor Smirnov marked the anniversary by vowing to stand firm for independent statehood.
In Chisinau, Moldovan President Petru Luchinschi said the dispute with Tiraspol can be resolved by the end of this year with mediation from Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). But Luchinschi said negotiations are stalled because of Tiraspol's insistence on preserving its own statehood.
In a statement, the ministry said leftist politicians from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine had complicated the situation in the breakaway region by encouraging the idea of independent statehood for the self-proclaimed Transdniestr Republic.
The statement singled out Russian Communist Party Duma deputy Oleg Mironov, who reportedly said that Russia is interested in the republic and will promote Tiraspol's international recognition. Transdniestr President Igor Smirnov marked the anniversary by vowing to stand firm for independent statehood.
In Chisinau, Moldovan President Petru Luchinschi said the dispute with Tiraspol can be resolved by the end of this year with mediation from Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). But Luchinschi said negotiations are stalled because of Tiraspol's insistence on preserving its own statehood.