Nicu Popescu askes the OSCE Ministry for the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova
The presence of Russian troops on the territory of our country is a flagrant violation of constitutional neutrality and he asked for the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian military forces. The statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, at the OSCE Ministry.
"We reiterate that the illegal presence of Russian troops violates the sovereignty and neutrality of the Republic of Moldova. We firmly reiterate the call for the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, according to the OSCE declaration from Istanbul in 1999, as well as UN resolutions no. 72/282 and respecting the constitutional neutrality of the Republic of Moldova", declared on Thursday, December 1, Nicu Popescu, during the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council in Łódź, Poland.
At the same time, Nicu Popescu drew attention to the ammunition stored at Cobasna.
"This deposit, which represents a major risk factor both for the Republic of Moldova and for the entire region, must be destroyed or evacuated through appropriate and transparent international procedures," said Popescu.
Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu mentioned that the Transnistrian problem remains a source of instability. He stated that, due to the war in Ukraine, the 5+2 negotiation format is suspended, but the dialogue with Tiraspol representatives continues.
"We are determined to maintain peace throughout our country, eliminate political tensions and seek solutions to pressing issues. We remain concerned about the violation of human rights in the Transnistrian region and we call on the Tiraspol authorities to respect international law and norms," said the deputy prime minister.
Also, Nicu Popescu reiterated that our country advocates for the resolution of the conflict exclusively through dialogue and peaceful means, based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within the internationally recognized borders.
At the same time, in his speech, the deputy prime minister condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, noting that it is a flagrant violation of international law, the Helsinki declaration and the UN Charter. "Our country stands fully in solidarity with Ukraine in its struggle for freedom. We support the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will continue to ensure the security of over 80 thousand Ukrainian refugees in the Republic of Moldova, to provide humanitarian assistance, activating solidarity funds and doing everything possible to contribute to regional stability", Popescu said.
In this context, the deputy prime minister emphasized that the Republic of Moldova is seriously affected by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and the economic, humanitarian and security consequences of this war affect every citizen of the Republic of Moldova.
"Russia's brutal bombing of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has caused massive power outages, several Russian missiles have violated our airspace, and a missile landed on our territory a few weeks ago. Despite these challenges, we remain firm on our path to the European Union. The Republic of Moldova is and will remain part of the free world", Nicu Popescu also declared.
TRM.MD recalls that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is one of the few international bodies - together with the United Nations - in which Russia and the Western powers were able to meet and discuss security-related issues, and the meeting in Łódź, in Poland, is the first high-level meeting since Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February.
