MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. Leader of the unrecognised Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic Yevgeny Shevchuk finds any appeals and talks on possible withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the republic dangerous.

“Such appeals may destabilise regional situation,” he told a news conference on Thursday.

Appeals to pull back Russian peacekeepers “cannot be left unattended,” he said. The Transdniestrian leader noted that the peacekeeping mission might be transformed in the self-proclaimed republic, only when a political solution to the crisis is found. “Then this will be possible to say about this, but now this only destabilises the situation,” he added.

Peacekeeping forces in Transdniestria

Joint peacekeeping forces of Russia, Moldova and Transdniestria, as well as a group of military observers from Ukraine are now maintaining peace on the two banks of the Dniester River. No violence outbreaks have been recorded in the region during their presence, which allowed Chisinau and Tiraspol to negotiate peaceful settlement of disputes.

Moldova says the conflict is over and calls for changing the existing peacekeeping format by deploying an international mission of OSCE observers.

In late September, Moldova’s Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman insisted on the soonest withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Transdniestria and deployment of an international civil mission. She said that withdrawal of Russian troops would have a positive impact on the talks between Chisinau and Tiraspol.