Foreign Minister's declaration on registration of draft resolution filed by Moldova to UNO

Chisinau, 15 June /MOLDPRES/ – Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Tudor Ulianovschi, has issued today a declaration upon registration of draft resolution submitted by Moldova to UNO, in a press briefing.

There is presented full text of statement.

"Recently, United Nations Secretariat has registered the draft resolution submitted by Moldova, entitled "Full and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces on the territory of the Republic of Moldova".

As it is well known, Moldovan diplomacy undertook a series of actions aimed at adopting within UNO some pertinent decisions aimed at complete withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova in 2017.

This initiative was expressly formulated by PM of Moldova Pavel Filip in his speech at the UN General Assembly tribune on 22 September 2017.

In the context, have been heard voices in public space and some critical remarks towards Government that it would have changed position, revoking its own initiative from UNO.

Further developments in this process, as well as the measures taken by Moldovan diplomacy, have shown that our tactics were correct and effective.

In this briefing, I should like to announce that the Government has not abandoned its initiative! Recently, United Nations Secretariat has registered the draft resolution of Moldova entitled "Full and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces from territory of the Republic of Moldova".

For the time being, there are being made efforts as to ensure widest support of UN member states. We already have about 10 states which have co – authored draft resolution.

The draft resolution will be examined on 22 June 2018 at General Assembly. Although it is a project based upon commitments made by Russia and the need to withdraw its troops, according to principles of international law and the UN Charter, we expect the UN member states to support us, relying also on the same principles of international law and the UN Charter – solidarity with the Republic of Moldova.

It is important to note that Moldovan authorities insist on unconditional and complete withdrawal of GOTR (Operation Group of the Russian Troops) by virtue of its illegal stay on territory of Moldova, but not rotating contingent forming part of military component of Joint Commission of Control, deployed in the eastern districts of Moldova, in accordance with provisions of Moldovan – Russian ceasefire agreement of 21 July 1992. This confusion is deliberately created many times to mislead public opinion.

Making a retrospective look at this issue history, you will easily notice that the Moldovan authorities have consistently and permanently pleaded for withdrawal of Russian military units from its territory, a reminiscence of ex – Soviet Army 14 reorganised into so-called Russian Operational Group (GOTR) in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova in July 1995, in Russian – Оперативная группа российских войск/ОГРВ).

I shall invoke, in the context, numerous terse and transparent approaches of Moldovan authorities formulated from tribunal of highest international fora, in particular UN and OSCE, as well as in political dialogue with Russia on military activities carried out by GOTR, in particular, joint deployment with alleged Transnistrian forces structure of numerous military applications, including simulation of the Dniester Force. This is a flagrant violation of provisions of Moldovan – Russian ceasefire agreement of 21 July 1992, according to which the Russian military forces have committed themselves to strictly adhere to neutrality principle related to conflicting parties.

Obviously, such behaviour can only be perceived as a direct threat to security of Moldova and as a defiance of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including constitutional provisions on neutrality status and inadmissibility of deployment of foreign military forces on its territory. In context of perpetuation of crisis in Ukraine, intensification of the military activities of Russian troops and Transnistrian forces contribute to increasing tensions in this region of Europe.

The issue of withdrawal of Russian troops from territory of Moldova has been repeatedly addressed within OSCE since 1992, in particular at ministerial meetings and OSCE summits, which is reflected in issue of Transnistrian conflict within relevant documents of the organisation.

I will invoke, in particular, the Political Declaration of OSCE Summit in Budapest in December 1994, OSCE Summit Declaration in Istanbul in November 1999 and Final Act of Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on Armed Forces Convention in Europe, which took place the day after OSCE Summit in Istanbul, Political Declaration of OSCE Ministerial Meeting in Porto in 2002.

I will note that Russia withdrew from territory of Moldova until 2003 a part of weapons, military equipment and ammunition, which, moreover, demonstrated that it is possible. This one, however, failed to fulfill its commitment, both bilaterally and within OSCE, withdraw GOTR and its weapons in full.

Thus, in the Transnistrian region of Moldova there still persists an illegal military presence of Russia in person of 1,500 – 1,700 soldiers, which is the so-called GOTR and about 21 thousand tons of ammunition stored in the Cobasna deposits, or the figures exact are known only to the Russian authorities, given that this territory is provisionally outside the constitutional control of the Moldovan authorities, as well as the total lack of transparency on it.

Russia has repeatedly committed itself to withdrawing its troops from this region.

Thus, according to provisions of the Agreement on principles of peaceful settlement of armed conflict in the Transnistrian region of Moldova, signed in Moscow on 21 July 1992, leadership of Russia expressed its readiness to negotiate with Moldova an agreement on status, modalities and deadlines for gradual withdrawal of its military formations from territory of Moldova.

As a result of two-year negotiations, an Agreement on the legal status, modalities and deadlines for gradual withdrawal of Russian military units situated provisionally on territory of Moldova was signed on 21 October 1994 in Moscow. Regrettably, however, agreement in question remained a dead letter because of refusal of Russian side to put it into force.

The examination of draft resolution proposed by Moldova firstly time since its independence, will be an important exercise for UNO of preventive diplomacy in relation to a country and a region where peace and security are undermined by a lack of dialogue based on respect for fundamental principles of international law.

Thank you for your attention!"