WINNER OF MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ON TRANSDNIESTRIA PROBLEM








CHISINAU, MARCH 1, 2001 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT GEORGY STOILIK/ -- Vladimir Voronin, a communist leader who won the parliamentary elections in Moldova spoke of the necessity to gradually settle the Transdniestrian problem /Transdniestria is a self-proclaimed republic on the Moldovan territory/. Voronin suggested that the Tiraspol leadership clearly formulate what powers it would like to retain. This, in his opinion, should become the starting point of the negotiations.


	On March 1 Moldova and Transdniestria mark the 9th anniversary of the 1992 armed conflict. Thanks to Russia's mediation, on July 21, 1992 an agreement was signed in the Kremlin on the fundamentals of peaceful settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict. 


	Since then there has been no fire on the Dniestre banks. Russian, Moldovan, Trandniestrian peace-keepers together with Ukrainian military observers maintain stability in the security zone still separating the conflicting sides. The curfew has been abolished in the city of Bender, previously neighbouring the front line. Reconstruction has begun of a bridge across the Dniestre river, destroyed during the clashes.


	However, the Chisinau and Tiraspol leaderships have not been negotiating the Transdniestrian issue for over a year now after the protracted political crisis erupted in Moldova. On February 25 the victory of the communists in the early parliamentary elections put an end to the crisis.


	Tiraspol officials are not in a hurry to voice their stance. The Transdniestrian leadership is ready to resume peaceful political dialogue only after it becomes clear who will come to power in Chisinau.