Russia is ready to guarantee the reunification of Moldova in exchange for its refusal to join NATO. The necessary documents could be signed in near future. In the following interview to "Ъ" correspondent, Vladimir Soloviov, Moldovan President, Vladimir Voronin is providing some details about the way in which Moscow and Chisinau would implement an „anti-Kosovo” scenario, in Transnistria. In addition, Vladimir Voronin let it be understood that Moldova could withdraw from GUAM.

During the last few months, it seems that you have been very optimistic about the perspectives of the Transnistrian conflict resolution. From your words, one might think that the unification of Moldova is a matter of days. Is it the moment of reverse countdown?

Vladimir Voronin. It is not possible to solve any problem unless the man who deals with the resolution of this problem is not an optimist. This is exactly the reason for me to stay optimist and to believe in the resolution of this problem, even after the difficult year 2003. Concerning the reverse countdown, I think that now is its starting point, and the day of the final resolution of the conflict, will come very soon. Those relations have been established between Moldova and Russia, serve as a basement for my expression of optimism, which I could no longer conceal.

Earlier, you have been talking about some dark mysterious forces in Russia which hamper the unification of the country. What can you say about these forces? Have they disappeared?

They were wiped out by the day. Even the darkest night is followed by day and Sun. As you know the dark forces are afraid of light. To be serious, there are two factors, which played a crucial role. First of all, the implementation of new customs rule on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border and the inauguration of EUBAM. Secondly, and probably the most important, is the registration of Transnistrian enterprises at the official institutions of the Republic of Moldova. In a sense, this means they are getting a legal status, instead of that of a representative of a separatist territory.

In this way, you blocked the flow of illegal financial streams?

Nowadays, there is not any sort of such activities in Transnistria. If you take the calendar and check the behavior of Transnistrian officials precisely in the period of the implementation of new border rules then it is especially evident. Everything was going quiet as soon as there were no means of control. But when it was implemented, suddenly, appeared rumors about the economic blockade of the region. In order to escape from these misunderstandings, it is enough just to compare the Transnistrian economic indicators of 2007, when 90% of export-oriented enterprises from the region were registered, with the indicators of 2005, which Transnistrians consider to be the most favorable period. From this exercise one can easily notice an increase of exports by 19%. It means that the problem relies not in the so-called blockade. The result is that we have closed the channels, which did not appear in official statistics and which were claimed to offer huge revenues, which have been shared by the Transnistrian officials with previously-mentioned forces.

You state that you don’t conduct secret negotiations with Moscow, and do not discuss secret plans of conflict settlement. But I can assure you that nobody clearly knows how the Transnistrian problem can be solved.

It is true that there are no secret negotiations. The problem will be solved only on the basis of the Law on the status of Transnistria adopted in July 2005. Then, we adopted the main principles of the status of Transnistrian region. It is worth to mention that Parliament voted for it unanimously. It was a real surprise, because all the opposition members voted for this law. Taking the Law on the principles as the basis, a new draft law on the status of the region was elaborated. This law provides all the necessary details: what rights, obligations and form of government will be implemented in Transnistria after the reunification of the country in a single entity such as it used to be. In addition, there is a mechanism of guarantees, which provide the framework for Chisinau and Tiraspol to implement this Law and the „roadmap”, which is annexed. In other words, it is a sort of timetable for different actions. There are all sorts of details like the schedule of the unification of monetary systems or the implementation of common customs services and many other things.

These are three basic documents, which we include in the settlement package. Recently, a need for adopting a declaration on the permanent neutrality of Moldova has emerged. According to our Constitution, Moldova is a neutral country, but now there is a need to fix this status in a declaration, which has to be signed by all the parts of the 5+2 negotiation format, excepting Tiraspol. This means Moldova as a sovereign country, as well as Russia, Ukraine, US, EU and OSCE.

This declaration is ready?

We are preparing its draft.

Russia should like this. Moscow has repeatedly showed its interest in the preservation of Moldova’s neutrality. Yet, what is the attitude of US and EU on this matter?

Usually, each country has the right to choose to be a neutral state or not. It is our internal matter, and we are talking here about the state sovereignty. We are not asking for their consent, but rather demand an international recognition of neutral status.

But they will have to sign this declaration.

Yes. But still I do not see anything that would prevent them to do this. If someone is worried about the possible problems for further European integration then this is not true. Nobody states that European integration process have to go through the integration in NATO. We are working with Alliance within framework of different programs, which do not refer to the integration in this structure.

Does it mean that this declaration is the fourth document in the package?

Yes, we particularly favor the package approach. Moreover, all these documents are ready, with the exception of the declaration, which is now under work. During the last meeting with Vladimir Putin, before the CSI summit, we agreed to start the negotiations in the 5+2 format with the single agenda – the analysis of the package. According to our proposal, all these negotiations have to take place in a special session regime and not just having short meetings, visiting the most interesting places of the city and then leaving. The representatives of the negotiation parts have to seat and discuss all the actions of the package.

Is there any chance that this negotiation marathon will result in the final resolution of the conflict?

There is a chance that they will agree with the fact that these documents comprise not only the resolution mechanism, but also to the functioning mechanism of Transnistria as an autonomous republic in the framework of Moldova.

Let’s suppose that they will come to this conclusion. What next?

If this happens, then we meet at the level of head of states and altogether sign these documents. Then, the implementation of „roadmap” begins. If we will manage to solve the Transnistrian problem until the 2009 parliamentary election, then it will be ok. As a consequence, there will be Transnistrian representatives in the Parliament, which, in this way, will represent the interests of the entire country. I wish very much that representatives from Transnistria will be members of the Moldovan Parliament.

Are you ready to seat on the same table with Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov and shake his hand after everything that happened between both of you?

If at stake is the unification of the country in accordance with the international norms then I will seat at the same table with anybody. My personal ambitions should not prevail over the national interests, and they will not prevail. I will manage the negotiations and sign the according documents. But this should be the final resolution. I cannot afford continuing this vicious circle anymore.

The Law on the Status of Transnistria, adopted in 2005, has been criticized in Moscow and Tiraspol. They stated that it was drafted without the consultation of Tiraspol. Are not there objections anymore?

This law draft has simply to be carefully read. It grants so many rights to Transnistria, which do not enjoy by many of the republics in the framework of Russian Federation and other states with federal state structure.

What is the status of Transnistria, according to this document?

The autonomy with extended competences of a republic.

With this model, will Moldova be a federation?

No, it will be a unitary state with two autonomous entities- Gagauzia and Transnistria. Transnistria will keep everything: coat of arms, flag, state languages (there are three state languages in Transnistria-Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian-"Ъ"), which they feel necessary. Of course, Moldovan language will be official according to the Constitution, but all the others could function on their territory as has been before. By the way, according to our laws, in Moldova, Russian has a status of „language of inter-ethnic communication”. Transnistrians want also the Ukrainian language. No problem!

After the usual visits to Chisinau of the Deputy Secretary of Russian Security Council, Yuri Zubakov, there is an impression that negotiations turn to exclusive format Voronin-Zubakov. What is the role of the EU and US in this process?

The mission of Yuri Zubakov is wider than only the Transnistrian conflict. In order to seriously deal with the resolution of this conflict, it was necessary to get out of the dead-end we arrived after 2003, when the document called „Kozak memorandum” was not signed. It was not easy but we have managed it due to the mission of Yuri Zubakov and personal involvement of Vladimir Putin. It was only Vladimir Vladimirovich that could overcome that situation. The merit of Zubakov is that, now we have a package of documents and we are approaching the resolution of the conflict. But this is not the final point. If there were only consultation with Zubakov then we would have been charged with secrecy and lack of transparency. On the contrary, we have informed all our partners about the issues we want to solve with Russia. When Western press wrote that everything is covered with secrecy, it was me, who gathered all the Ambassadors of the EU countries and provided them with all the necessary details. These subjects were also discussed with the representatives of US State Department. Of course, there is some confidentiality. But soon it will have no sense. There is nothing to hide.

The package is prepared only by Moldovan side?

The law draft on the basic principles of Transnistrian status in the framework of Moldova and the following Law on the status – are not the result of instant thinking, but mainly of negotiations which have taken place along the 16 years of the existence of the conflict. We have taken into account all the Transnistrian proposals. This is a sum of all projects. We did not simply seat and draw everything as we have wished.

So, this is not about the rehabilitation of „Kozak Memorandum-2”? It is dead and buried?

We borrowed from it many elements and attitudes that have been introduced in the draft project of the future Law on the Status of Transnistria. Obviously, there are common principles, which have been elaborated long time ago.

When and where will be the next meeting of 5+2 format? There have already been mentioned Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

When I met Vladimir Putin, I have told him that Helsinki and St. Petersburg are discussed as possible places. He answered to me that this is not a matter of principal.

He didn’t lobby his native city?

This is not so. In our posts we have already lost the taste of our personal wishes. Putin see those issues wider. He is interested in how to solve the problem. Therefore, the place where this is going to take place represents a secondary matter for him.

What will be the fate of the law, which denies the property rights for those, who have acquired some assets in Transnistria without the approval of Chisinau? Will you change this law?

If this property has been legally privatized, even in accordance with Transnistrian laws then there would be no questions. On the other hand, if there were certain illegal activities, then there will be some checks, although these activities will be dealt by relevant local Transnistrian authorities.

What about the law?

It has already been banned. We will not force the actual owners to re-privatize those assets and we will not try to nationalize them. Currently, more then 90% of all state property has been privatized in the Republic of Moldova. There is a massive selling of state shares in several enterprises. Nobody should fear that we will take everything.

What is going to happen with the Russian peacekeeping forces after the settlement? Does this represent a problem for you?

Here we again come back to the neutrality status, according to which all military presence on our territory is banned. The peacekeeping tasks were successfully accomplished several years ago. That is why today we raise the question of civil guarantee forces. We accept the presence of civil observers but not military peacekeepers. Do we want it or not, there are still two armies – Moldovan and Transnistrian. There must be a process of rehabilitation. However, in the future I see Moldova as a neutral and demilitarized state.

This position is accepted in Moscow?

To be honest, yes. The question is put in this way: if somebody leaves then everybody leaves. It is not about somebody leaving and the other taking his place. We don’t want to change these peacekeepers with others. We think that neutral status has to be absolutely respected and there should be no foreign troops on our territory. This is a correct position and we will defend it.

Your Western colleagues understand this?

I don’t think that we are so interesting for somebody from the strategic point of view.

By the way, talking about strategy, Moldova, in comparison with such GUAM member states as Georgia and Ukraine, do not intend to join NATO. Is there any sense to stay in this quartet, which Moscow perceives as anti-Russian?

At the moment of its creation, GUAM had different tasks. There have been talks about the building of an oil pipeline Odessa-Brody. But when I looked at the map of this pipeline, I saw that this pipeline is bypassing too far Moldova. Moreover, last year there were happening even more strange things. There were talks about the establishment of common peacekeeping forces. I asked what the purpose of this action is. And I was told that we all have conflicts. So what? We already have internationally recognized peacekeeping forces. Why should we create additional forces? I told them to put an end to these games. Thanks God, all the decisions in GUAM are taken unanimously. So, when we refused to sign this document, this idea has lost its momentum.

Moldova could follow Uzbekistan and leave GUAM?

This kind of decisions is adopted by Parliament. As a matter of fact, the quality of a member in different organizations has to have an effective impact. If this is lacking, then there is not any incentive. If there is no such incentive then the presence becomes useless. Referring to GUAM it has an unclear perspective. If there will not be an economic incentive, then our presence as a counterweight to something would be useless. Moldova is not that kind of country, which would serve like a counterweight to someone.

Are not you worried by the fact that in case Ukraine would join NATO, Moldova will be caught between two NATO states?

What can we do? It is impossible to change geography. We will be a sort of a buffer state with a neutral status.

If Transnistria would join Moldova, what will happen with the Tiraspol gas debt, which already has reached more than 1, 5 billion USD?

It will be our inheritance. Then we will decide. We know who is to blame, because the population is paying for gas, but these payments do not get to Gazprom. Unfortunately, money will not appear from this knowledge. We will solve this problem together with Russia and EU. It is possible that Russia will help us in the process of reunification, in which it has a crucial role to play.

Source: www.kommersant.ru Translated from Russian by APE (Foreign Policy Association of Moldova)