From: msirbu@next5.cs.umr.edu (Mihai Sirbu)
Subject: Moldova/Romania News, RFE/RL 9/3/92
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 18:08:18 GMT
Organization: University of Missouri-Rolla, Missouri's Technological University

 RFE/RL DAILY REPORT          No. 169, September 3, 1992


YELTSIN-SNEGUR MEETING.  The Russian and Moldovan Presidents, Boris
Yeltsin and Mircea Snegur, met one on one in Yeltsin's working
cabinet in the Kremlin on 1 September for the fourth time in the
space of two months.  A press release via ITAR-TASS spoke of "a
very warm, friendly, and businesslike atmosphere devoid of tensions
of any kind." Yeltsin offered to serve as intermediary between
Chisinau and Tiraspol concerning the future political status of the
left bank of the Dniester.  Accepting Yeltsin's offer, Snegur
confirmed that Moldova was prepared immediately to grant the
right-bank city of Bendery the status of a free economic zone (an
offer Moldova had made to Bendery and the left bank already in
1991) and to negotiate the political status of the left bank
"provided that the territorial integrity of our state is
maintained," Snegur told Moldovapres. Snegur also hoped that a
bilateral economic agreement "with specific targets" will be
concluded for 1993.  (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)

MOLDOVAN MILITARY ISSUES ALSO DISCUSSED. The press release added
obscurely that Russia and Moldova were discussing "military issues,
as well as the question of a gradual withdrawal of [Russia's] 14th
Army" from Moldova.  (The wording apparently reflects Russia's
current attempt to link the issue of troop withdrawal to that of
"military cooperation" with Moldova).  The sides agreed to appeal
jointly to Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk to cooperate in the
supply of Russian military units in Moldova and, subsequently, to
help faciliate their withdrawal through Ukrainian territory.
Russia has agreed to withdraw this year a paratroop regiment
stationed in downtown Chisinau and a pontoon regiment based on the
Dniester.  (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)

"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" CELEBRATES.  A mass rally and military parade--
attended by Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Lebed, commander of Russia's 14th
Army-- were held in Tiraspol on 2 September, the second anniversary
of the proclamation of the "Dniester Soviet Socialist Republic."
Its president, Igor Smirnov, said in his address that "the republic
has survived only thanks to Russia and the 14th Army," RFE/RL
correspondents reported. While taking issue with Yeltsin's stance
on Moldova's integrity, Smirnov was also quoted as announcing that
Russia would provide 2 billion rubles in credits to the "Dniester
republic" for the purchase of grain and other agricultural
commodities.  Both Smirnov and the "Dniester Guard" commander, Maj.
Gen.  Stefan Kitsak, claimed victory over Moldova and reiterated
that the would-be republic would build its own, professional army.
"The Dniester republic's strategic course toward forming the
Dniester state is not subject to change," Smirnov said as cited by
DR Press. (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)



TOKES STARTS PROTEST FAST IN ROMANIA.  Laszlo Tokes, the Magyar
bishop in Oradea of the Reformed Church in Romania whose defiant
refusal to leave his parish in Timisoara sparked the December 1989
uprising against the communist regime, began a fast in Timisoara on
2 September. In a message to Radio Bucharest Tokes demanded justice
for the victims of the uprising and punishment for those guilty of
"genocide." He called for investigations of the violent incidents
in Tirgu Mures and Bucharest in 1990 and for the freeing of Magyars
sentenced in connection with ethnic clashes in Tirgu Mures and
elsewhere. Tokes demanded that those guilty of persecuting the
leadership of his church in 1989 be brought to account and insisted
upon a clarification of the circumstances of the death of two
prominent community leaders under Ceausescu.  (Michael Shafir,
RFE/RL Inc.).

ROMANIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY APPROVES SEARCH FOR MASS GRAVE. Agreement
has been given to search an army base in Vladeni, Transylvania, for
a mass grave alleged to contain the remains of people executed by
the communist regime, the independent news agency Arpres reported
on 2 September. A spokesman for the ministry quoted by Reuters said
that the excavation was demanded by the Association of Former
Political Detainees, which believes that executed anticommunist
member of the resistance were buried there. (Michael Shafir, RFE/RL
Inc.).

ROMANIA AND THE IRAQI CRISIS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
"taken notice of the activities recently initiated by the USA and
its partners" south of the 32nd parallel in Iraq, a spokesman said
on 2 September. Radio Bucharest reports that Romania shares the
view that the developments were prompted by Iraq's refusal to allow
access to southern Iraq to UN observers and supports implementation
of Security Council Resolution 668. (Michael Shafir, RFE/RL Inc.)

                                                [As of 1200 CET]

Copyright 1992, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.

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