Transdniestrian Opposition For Resuming Moldova-Transdniestria Talks

The Transdniestrian opposition comes up in favour of resuming negotiations between Chisinau and Tiraspol, Tom Zenovich told a press conference in Moscow on Friday. Zenovich is the former mayor of the city of Bendery and a presidential nominee of the self-proclaimed Transdniestrian republic. "If necessary, negotiations can go on day and night," he emphasized. Simultaneously, "it is so far premature to speak of a status of Transdniestria -- whether or not it will be within the federation or confederation of Moldova," he said. Tom Zenovich backed the plan of settling the Transdniestrian problem, proposed by Yevgeni Primakov, the Russian president's envoy for Transdniestria. "It can be 80 percent accepted and 20 percent debated," he believes. Zenovich spoke up for Moldova and Transdniestria joining the Russia-Belarus Union. He also believes it necessary that Russia preserve its military presence in the region. "Russian peacekeepers should better remain in Transdniestria. They are doing everything to preserve peace here," noted Zenovich.