MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st December, 2020) The OSCE Albanian chairmanship has not received any proposals from Moldova on replacing Russian peacekeepers, deployed in the breakaway region of Transnistria, with civilian observers, a spokesperson told Sputnik on Monday, in light of suggestions by Moldovan President-elect Maia Sandu to deploying an observer mission to the region.
Sandu suggested that the mission, working under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), replace Russian peacekeepers deployed in Transnistria.
"The Albanian OSCE Chairmanship is aware of the public statements on this issue. However, the Albanian OSCE Chairmanship has not received an official proposal in this respect and hence can't provide any further comment on the matter, other than that an eventual decision in this respect would require consensus of all 57 OSCE participating States," the spokesperson said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that any changes to the status quo may increase tensions and destabilize the situation in Transnistria. Moscow called against making "sudden movements" amid Sandu's suggestion.
The breakaway region, which is mostly populated by ethnic Russians and Ukrainians, seceded from Moldova in 1990, fearing the latter's possible reunion with Romania. The split led to an armed conflict that ended in a 1992 ceasefire. De facto, Transnistria has become a territory out of Chisinau's control. The Russian peacekeeping force has been present in the region for 28 years. A total of 402 Russian peacekeepers are currently deployed in the self-proclaimed country.
