Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Separatists in the region are supported by Moscow, including through a Russian military presence.
French diplomats are taking a firm stance on Russia’s ongoing military presence in the Transnistria region, which shares a border with southern Ukraine.
Earlier this week, the French Foreign Ministry called on Russia to pull its illegal forces out of Transnistria, pointing out that Moscow is defying international law.
This renewed push came on a key date. It has been 34 years since the July 21, 1992, ceasefire agreement ended fighting along the Dniester River.
According to the Moldovan outlet Newsmaker, the French Foreign Ministry highlighted the broken promises over the years. “Thirty-four years ago, the ceasefire agreement of July 21, 1992, put an end to the war on the Dniester,” the ministry said.
“Since then, in violation of international law and its own commitments, Russia has maintained a military contingent in the region,” the statement continued.
Paris made its position clear. “On this symbolic day, France reaffirms once again its firm support for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and calls on Russia to withdraw its troops illegally stationed on the left bank of the Dniester and to truly support the process of peaceful resolution of the Transnistrian conflict,” the ministry added.
Decades of deadlock
Fighting started in the spring of 1992 after Transnistria declared independence. Presidents Mircea Snegur and Boris Yeltsin signed the ceasefire later that summer, but the violence left hundreds dead and thousands wounded.
Moldova lost control of the region, and Russian soldiers have stayed put ever since.
Moldova wants those troops gone and the weapons stockpile in Cobasna cleared out. They then wish to have an international civilian team serve as a peacekeeping force.
Moscow keeps ignoring those demands. Recent statements from Russian diplomats show why the talks are stuck.
Russian Ambassador-at-Large Oleg Ozerov recently brushed off the 1999 Istanbul Declaration. Under that deal, Russia agreed to pull out all troops and gear by late 2002.
Ozerov claimed that old agreement held “intentions” rather than real rules. He said troops will only leave after formal negotiations finish, but those talks remain totally frozen.
