WRITTEN QUESTION E-1325/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(8 April 2003)

Subject: EU and US measures to isolate the Transnistrian region, thereby increasing its dependence on Ukraine and Russia

1. Does the Council recall that in 1940 the Stalin regime took an elongated of land running along the eastern side of the River Dniester, which until then had belonged to the Soviet Republic of Ukraine, and added it to the area captured from Romania which was to go to form the Soviet Republic of Moldavia, with the aim of contributing to the Russification of Moldavia, which was overwhelmingly Romanian-speaking?

2. Is the Council aware that on 2 September 1991 the strip of land in question, which now has 700 000 predominantly Slavic-speaking inhabitants, seceded de facto from the State of Moldova, which had been called into being six days previously, and that on 24 December 1995, on the basis of a 62 % turnout, 82,5 % of voters in that area approved a constitution for an independent Dniester Republic, which is now referred to by Moldova as Transnistria?

3. On 27 February 2003, more than 11 years after the de facto secession of the Dniester Republic, and after repeated talks with the Moldova Government, the Council adopted Common Position 2003/139/CFSP(1) banning members of the leadership of the Transnistrian region from travelling to or through EU Member States. What European interest is served by this? How has the situation changed in the last 11 years? Moreover, why has this step been taken jointly with the US?

4. Is the Council seeking, through this approach, to re-establish the state of affairs created by Stalin, or is it endeavouring, in a roundabout way, to alienate the Transnistrian leadership and people further from the EU and to make them even more totally dependent on Ukraine and Russia, so that the non-Romanian-speaking minority in Moldova, which opposes reunification with the EU applicant country Romania, greatly diminishes in size and the possibility of a return to the pre-1940 border, marked by the Dniester, gradually takes shape?

5. What steps is the Council taking to re-establish and improve relations with the Transnistrian population with a view to fostering good-neighbourly cooperation between the peoples on either side of the Dniester?

(1) OJ L 53, 28.2.2003, p. 60.

Reply

(29 September 2003)

At a time when the future relations of the enlarged EU with its Eastern and Southern neighbours are under thorough discussion, the Council stresses the importance of stability in Moldova for the region and for the European Union. The Council recognises Moldova's pro-European choice and is ready to work with Moldova to support this and to strengthen EU-Moldova relations in order to draw Moldova closer to the EU. There is agreement in the Council on the need and urgency for greater EU involvement in Moldova's situation.

More than ten years after the end of the civil war that divided the country, the conflict in Transnistria remains unresolved. Large stockpiles of arms and ammunition remain in Transnistria and the region has become a source of and a transit route for illegal trafficking. Thus, a rapid and sustainable solution to the Transnistria conflict is all the more important. Failure to resolve it is the single largest impediment to Moldova's political and economic development and one of the root causes of poverty. The Council has reiterated the readiness of the EU to contribute constructively to a political settlement and its commitment to make additional efforts in the OSCE framework to reach a peaceful solution in full respect of Moldova's territorial integrity.

The Council has continuously urged the parties to the conflict to further the negotiations with a view to finding a solution as soon as possible. The leadership of the secessionnist Transnistrian region has been obstructionist and shown unwillingness to change the status quo, thereby impeding meaningful negotiations. Consequently, the Council decided to implement targeted sanctions in the form of a travel ban on seventeen people of the Transnistrian leadership considered to be primarily responsible for the lack of co-operation to promote a political settlement of the conflict. Additional measures could be considered at a later date in light of further developments.

In line with the view of the current OSCE chairmanship on the need for increasing pressure on the Transnistrian Leadership to make progress in the negotiation process, the US, all the Acceding States, Associated European countries and members of the EEE also decided to adopt similar measures. These measures underscore the decisiveness of the EU and its partners in bringing the Transnistrian leadership in result-oriented negotiations.

The Council underlines that a sustainable solution to the situation of Transnistria requires good will by all sides. The Council has also called on the Moldovan side to take the most constructive and flexible approach to suggestions submitted by the mediators. The Council welcomed the recent initiative by President Voronin on a new constitution and the recent establishment of a constitutional drafting commission with equal representation of both sides. While continuing to support the negotiating process under the current five-sided format, the EU encourages this new initiative and would be willing to facilitate the work of the constitutional drafting commission as appropriate.

The Council is working actively with all parties to seek a lasting solution and is also ready to examine all measures helping to promote a political settlement of the conflict. In addition to existing assistance to Moldova, the Council will assess, within the context of available resources, what measures could form part of a package to support an eventual settlement of the Transnistria conflict, contributing to increasing stability and security and to reviving economic development in the whole region on a sound basis.