Chirila: Cowardice, inconsistency and diplomatic pharisaism in Bratislava
Author: Victor Chirila
On December 5 and 6, in the Bratislava, Slovakia, the annual meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers was held, during which the foreign Minister of the Republic of Moldova had a speech on Transnistrian regulation. The speech was a proof of of cowardice, inconsistency and hypocrisy, says Victor Chirila, expert in foreign policy issues.
Firstly, the Moldovan Foreign Minister did not ask the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, but merely reiterated the “need to progress” on the path of the withdrawal of foreign troops. The minister, with regret, lacked the courage to say clearly and reluctantly that these foreign troops are not Martians, but russian troops, who must withdraw immediately and unconditionally until the final political settlement and not after.
Secondly, the Foreign Minister gave up the need to transform the peacekeeping mission into a mission of international civilian European observers, stating instead that this transformation “could be considered” in accordance with the final political solution of the Transnistrian conflict.The Foreign Minister did not have the courage to tell his OSCE colleagues that as long as the russian troops are stationed in the Transnistrian region, there will be no real confidence building between the two banks of the Dniester. What is happening now is a scenery.
Thirdly, the Foreign Minister did not say a word about the frequent russian military maneuvers in the security zone, and not even about the posts of “guards” illegally built by Tiraspol in the security zone, thus obstructing the free movement of persons, essential for confidence building.
Fourthtly, the Foreign Minister did not have the courage to tell our partners that, without a well-defined political objective of reintegrating the country, agreed by both Chisinau and Tiraspol, the current policy of small steps is nothing more than a process of one-sided surrender by the central authorities on the way to federalization of the Republic of Moldova.
And finally, Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs, the western option of the Republic of Moldova is not a game or a geopolitical option, but an option of values, for true democracy, rule of law, free elections, political pluralism, freedom of the press, independent justice , human dignity, etc. Therefore, the “geopolitical dissociation” of the Republic of Moldova that you declared in Bratislava is a crude pharisaism …
