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Transnistrian leader puts Russian integration talk to rest, 'not our narrative'

According to Vitaly Ignatyev, the congress was called to draw the attention of neighboring countries to the relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol amid the stagnating talks

MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. The unrecognized republic of Transnistria doesn’t plan to ask Russia to admit it as a constituent region, Transnistria’s leader Vitaly Ignatyev said.

"I repeat once again: this is not our narrative. These are not our talking points and there is no sense in repeating them," he told RTVI when asked if he planned to initiate a relevant move during the recent congress of lawmakers of all levels.

"This is a disinformation campaign concerning the goals and aims of our lawmakers and people. It was geared to disrupt the congress, which was ultimately held on February 28," he said.

According to Ignatyev, the congress was called to draw the attention of neighboring countries to the relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol amid the stagnating talks. The lawmakers called on the government to ask for help from the international community, as well as from Russia, which, along with the OSCE and Ukraine, is a mediator in the 5+2 negotiating format, comprising Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine, with the European Union and the United States as observers. He recalled that in 2006 Transnistria held a referendum, where people supported Transnistria’s independence from Moldova and its subsequent accession to Russia.

Transnistria calls for invigorating talks with Moldova at all levels. It accuses Chisinau of using its vulnerable position to exert pressure on it. The OSCE admitted earlier that the current strain in relations between the two banks of the Dniester River stemmed from the unproductive talks.