Eurojournal.org

Moldova Quits Back-Channel Negotiations with Kremlin, Makes Overture to Tiraspol

by Vladimir Socor, The Jamestown Foundation Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin is pulling back from the bilateral, non-transparent negotiations with the Kremlin, on which he had embarked in September 2006. Concessions offered by Chisinau incrementally in the negotiating rounds with Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Yuri Zubakov and, periodically, with President Vladimir Putin during 13 months,...

Russian Troops in Moldova -- Main Remaining Obstacle to CFE Treaty Ratification

by Vladimir Socor, The Jamestown Foundation With Russian troops on their way out from two bases in Georgia, the international politics of CFE Treaty ratification focuses increasingly on Moldova. The OSCE�s Permanent Council-Forum for Security Cooperation special joint meeting on May 23, with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov�s participation, reflected this development. As Russian...

Escape from Moscow

Mart Laar The west seems to lack up-to-date knowledge about Moldova. Can Europe's poorest country ever achieve real independence from Russia? Communism's fall gave the nations of the former Soviet bloc a chance to turn towards democracy, a market economy, and the rule of law. Some countries cut ties decisively with the communist past; others were less successful, a few failed catastrophically.

The self-dividing Belarusian opposition

Andras Racz, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs: The second congress of the United Democratic Forces (UDF) held on 26-27th May in Minsk replaced Alexander Milinkevich, the former jointly supported presidential candidate. Leadership of the UDF will be exercised by a Political Council directed by a Praesidium of four co-presidents. The new strategy of the UDF is in favor of starting negotiations with the Lukashenko-regime. Milinkevich quit the group and keeps...

European Neighbourhood Policy Two Years on: Time indeed for an �ENP Plus'

Michael Emerson, Gergana Noutcheva, Nicu Popescu, CEPS: Conceived in 2003 and 2004, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) has now had two years of operational experience. This initial experience has seen a sorting out of the partner states, with Action Plans drawn up for five Eastern and seven Southern partner states. We would distinguish among these 12 states between the �willing� and the �passive�; and among the other partner states without Action Plans between...

The black hole that ate Moldova

Edward Lucas Economist.com A glimpse inside Transdniestria EMBARRASSINGLY sleazy, expensive and indefensible�but ours, and we are bloody well going to hang on to it. That was West Berlin during the cold war, seen through NATO eyes. And it may also explain why Russia has supported Transdniestria, a narrow strip of land on the eastern bank of the Dniestr river that has broken away from Moldova, the poorest and most demoralised country in Europe.

MOSCOW NOW SEEKS TO TEMPT VORONIN INTO DISSOLVING PARLIAMENT

by Vladimir Socor, The Jamestown Foundation Moscow is using the negotiations on resolving the Transnistria conflict as a means to weaken Moldova�s political system. This is a collateral goal of the negotiating channel run by Security Council Deputy Secretary Yuri Zubakov with core members of the Moldovan presidential team. Moscow�s specific proposals through this channel to change Moldova�s political system -- ostensibly in order...

VORONIN PRESSURED TO ACCEPT RUSSIAN SETTLEMENT SCENARIO FOR TRANSNISTRIA

by Vladimir Socor, The Jamestown Foundation In several policy conferences with a small number of top officials in recent days, most recently on April 11, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has presented a new Russian scenario to settle the Transnistria conflict. It stems from Russia�s Security Council, whose deputy secretary, Yuri Zubakov, runs the Russian side of the Russia-Moldova negotiating channel, outside the official 5 +...

EU membership gives Romania new opportunities in its relations with Moldova

George Dura, CEPS: Relations between Romania and Moldova have improved markedly since the 2004 parliamentary and presidential elections in Romania, although the relationship has come under considerable strain in recent months due to a rapprochement between Russia and Moldova, combined with new restrictions Moldovans are facing in conducting trade and travel with Romania in the wake of its accession to the EU. Against this background, George Dura reviews the general...

The Eastern Dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy: A Romanian approach

Iulian Chifu, Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Centre, Bucharest: The Neighbourhood European Policy(ENP) is today the principal instrument of the countries from the Eastern Europe with the European Union. This policy is in a broader and thorough process of assessment and change, so that by the end of December a full report of the achievements will be on the table and during the German Presidency of the EU, in the first semester of the next year, we will have a...