Tiraspol Times frontpage
Russia won't yet recognize Transnistria
independence
For
Russia, it is still too early to recognize what one
Duma legislator says is obvious: The independence of
Pridnestrovie (Transnistria). Russia is still
smarting over Western recognition of Kosovo, which
it says runs counter to international law. According
to lawmakers, Pridnestrovie has better grounds for
independence than Kosovo.
By Jason Cooper, 21/Mar/2008
Influential
Duma MP Konstantin Zatulin: "Recognize the obvious:
The independence of the unrecognized states"
MOSCOW
(Tiraspol Times) - To the dismay of Tiraspol
lawmakers, who had hoped for recogniton, Russia is
not yet ready to recognize the independence of
Pridnestrovie, Abkhazia and South Ossetia en
bloc. But the lower house of Russia's
Parliament is willing to recognize that the tree 'de
facto' countries have all the necessary attributes
of statehood and that they have far better claims to
independence than Kosovo.
So
says the text of a draft resolution scheduled for
approval later on Friday, in which Russia's State
Duma.
Duma
deputies believe that the process of recognition of
Kosovo’s independence runs contrary to the norms of
international law.
In
this connection, the draft document stipulates that
Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Pridnestrovie are
already 'de facto' independent democratic countries
with all the proper attributes of statehood. This
puts them in a league of their own when compared to
Kosovo. The text of the official statement says that
the three states have better grounds for claiming
international recognition than Kosovo.
" -
Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Trans-Dniester, having
built over the years their de-facto independent
democratic states with all attributes of authority,
have a much larger basis than Kosovo to aspire for
international recognition," according to the text.
Russia's Parliament also wants to open Russian
diplomatic missions in the new states, among other
measures scheduled for approval.
MP wants to "recognize the obvious"
Along
with Abkhazia and South Ossetia (both bordering
Georgia), the republic of Pridnestrovie - sandwiched
between Moldova and Ukraine - demand Russia's moral
support to be recognized as independent by the
international community. While some Duma deputies
are not yet ready for full 'de jure' recognition,
others believe that it is time for Russia to
recognize the obvious - that states like
Pridnestrovie are already independent in all
practical aspects.
" -
The discussion has centered on the possibility of
recognizing the obvious: The independence of the
unrecognized states in the former Soviet Union,"
said influential Duma legislator Konstantin Zatulin.
"This will become the guarantee of the freedom and
security of the population of these states."
MP
Konstantin Zatulin is First Deputy Chairman of the
Duma's Committe for CIS relations and the near
abroad.
Passing the draft, Duma deputies will appeal to the
government, asking to increase its support to
Russian citizens who live in the three new and
emerging countries. In Russian-speaking
Pridnestrovie, some 100,000 people hold Russian
citizenship. An even larger number of the population
are ethnic Russians who hold the citizenship of the
Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica (PMR), or
who hold double citizenship.
Never part of Moldova
Pridnestrovie is more commonly known under
unofficial names such as Transnistria,
Transdniestria or Trans-Dniester. It has a territory
almost twice as large as Luxembourg, and its
population is double the size of Iceland's. The
country has its own government which issues stamps,
passports and license plates. It also has a flag, a
national anthem, a national coat of arms, a
Constitution, a democratically elected parliament, a
Supreme Court, an army, a police force and a customs
administration.
Under
international law, Pridnestrovie currently meets the
requirements for independent and sovereign statehood.
Nevetherless, the country remains unrecognized due
to a old territorial conflict with neighboring
Moldova, which dates back to the time when both
areas were forced together inside the Soviet Union
by dictator Josef Stalin.
Pridnestrovie has a Slav majority, and the
population is overwhelmingly in favor of
independence. Historically, Russian-speaking
Pridnestrovie has never been part of Moldova, which
speaks a different language and has a different
ethnic majority.
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