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Moldova suspends contacts with Russian defense attache over presence at Tiraspol parade

The Russian diplomat was summoned to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

CHISINAU, September 8. /TASS/. Moldova’s Defense Minister Anatol Salaru said on Tuesday his ministry suspends all contacts with Russia’s defense attache Viktor Teleshev over his attending a parade on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the unrecognized republic of Transdniestria.

"We consider the presence of Russia’s defense attache at the military parade in Tiraspol an unfriendly step. The parade was illegal and the presence there should be condemned. That is why the defense ministry suspends all contacts with the Russian defense attache. We expect official apologies from the Russian diplomat or his replacement," Salaru said in an interview with the Moldovan television.

Official Chisinau provided a negative reaction to the parade in Tiraspol. Salaru, who is a member of the Liberal Party advocating Moldova’s joining NATO, expressed resentment over the fact that Russia’s defence attache had been seating next to Transdniestria’s President Yevgeny Shevchuk. The Russian diplomat was summoned to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

"We expressed concern over this situation and stressed the inadmissibility of such actions. They run counter to the course of relations between Moldova and Russia, in particular to the statements on Russia’s official policy towards Moldova," Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman said.