Responding to Moldova's appeals after years of procrastination, the European Union has decided to institute an EU Special Representative to Moldova, with a focus on Transnistria conflict settlement (AP, February 8). The decision must be welcomed as progress. But it follows the EU's style of... MORE

Responding to Moldova's calls for Russian troop withdrawal and an international solution to the Transnistria conflict, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a torrent of verbal abuse and warnings against Moldova. On December 15, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement terming Moldova's... MORE

Display of Russian military muscle, Moldovan appeals for support, European Union incoherence, and OSCE insistence on staying in play through collaboration with Russia were the highlights of the discussions on Moldova at the OSCE's year-end meeting in Sofia on December 6-7. As in Georgia's case,... MORE

At the OSCE's year-end meeting in Sofia on December 6-7, Russia ruled out any regional statement on Georgia or Moldova, and vetoed the political declaration's text that read: "Some of the commitments made at the 1999 Istanbul Summit regarding Georgia and Moldova have not yet... MORE

On November 30, in its strongest-ever international statement, Moldova decried the "foreign military occupation, namely by the Russian Federation, of a part of Moldova's territory," demanded those troops' withdrawal, described Trans-Dniester's authorities as Russian-installed proxies, and characterized the negotiations with them as a discredited process.... MORE

The Moldovan government does not recognize the officially announced results for Ukraine's presidential election. In a November 26 declaration, Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted, "The November 21 balloting failed to meet the requirements and criteria for recognition of the returns by Ukraine's citizens and... MORE

The U.S.-based National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute are backing the "centrist" Bloc Moldova Democrata (BMD) in Moldova's upcoming general elections, expected to be held in February 2005. NDI and IRI made that strategic decision in late 2003-early 2004, with a view to unseating... MORE

Next to Georgia, Moldova has ranked near the top of the European diplomatic and security agenda for the last three years. Officially, the OSCE handles the issues of conflict-settlement and Russian forces in Moldova. Nevertheless, the OSCE has now decided to exclude the issue of... MORE

Analysts from Moldovan NGOs have drafted a concept for post-Soviet conflict settlement. Titled "Demilitarization, Decriminalization, Democratization," the "3Ds" concept is tailored specifically to the Trans-Dniester conflict, but it can serve as a reference point in efforts to settle other conflicts in Eurasia. Discussion of this... MORE

Analysts from Moldovan NGOs have drafted, and intend to present in Washington and Brussels, a concept for post-Soviet conflict settlement. Titled "Demilitarization, Decriminalization, Democratization," the "3Ds" concept is tailored specifically to the Trans-Dniester conflict, but it can serve as a reference point in efforts to... MORE