Author: Vardanian Garo

AMBASSADOR OF KAZAKHSTAN TO TRY TO MAKE ARMENIAN-KAZAKH ECONOMIC CONTACTS MORE ACTIVE

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian
expects activization of Armenian-Kazakh cooperation in connection with
Kazakhstan’s decision to have a representation in Yerevan. R.Kocharian
said this on October 20, at the talk held after the credentials handing
ceremony of newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Armenia Aimdos
Ersaini Bozdjigitov. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA President’s
Press Office, the sides considered R.Kocharian’s official visit
to Kazakhstan in November as an important stimulus for further
extension of interstate relations. The interlocutors mentioned
reforms being implemented at a full speed in the two countries,
by the rate of which Armenia and Kazakhstan are among leaders among
CIS countries. Emphasizing interest of Kazakh businessmen in Armenia,
the Ambassador said that he will first of all try to activize economic
contacts. In his words, the Armenian community of Kazakhstan can be
an important factor in bilateral cooperation, the representatives of
which are actively involved in country’s various spheres.

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 19 2006

Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents’ meeting depends on Foreign
ministers’ talks

19 October 2006 [22:00] – Today.Az

Azerbaijani Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian’s next talks in the frame of Prague Process
will be held on October 24, said Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair
of OSCE Minsk group and coordinator on Karabakh conflict.

The talks will be the continuation of the meeting held on October 6
in Moscow, the ministers will discuss the uncoordinated parts of the
main principles of Nagorno Garabagh conflict regulations. Co-chairs
Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard Fasier (France), Matthew Bryza
(USA) and Andrzey Kasprzyk, OCSE Personal Representative will have
consulting a day before the meeting.

Merzlyakov told the APA co-chairs did not plan meetings with the
ministers. "Only one meeting will be held with the participation of
ministers and coordinators," he said.

Answering the question "Will you discuss the next meeting of the
presidents in the meetings of ministers?" the Russian diplomat said
that they have already suggested it.

"But the meeting of presidents depends on ministers’ talks. If the
ministers need high level meeting, we will begin to the preparations,"
Merzlyakov said.

Merzlyakov also said that if the presidents agree to meet, we will
decide where and when to organize it. "We do not know the presidents’
schedules. In a case of agreement we will find an appropriate time
and place," Merzlyakov stated.

Russian co-chair did not rule out the fact that the meeting of the
presidents can take place in the summit of CIS countries’ heads in
Minsk in late November.

URL:

ERKKI TUOMIOJA: THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS NOT AN "EXAGERATED DEFINITION"

ArmRadio.am
20.10.2006 10:27

The Foreign Minister of Finland Erkki Tuomioja has declared that the
Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire at the turn
of the century is not an "exaggerated definition" and Turkey must be
ready to acknowledge it.

According to "Anatolu" agency, the Finnish Foreign Minister said that
with ratification of the bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial
the National Assembly of France "made a mistake" and the French
Parliament should refuse from the idea. He said that Parliaments
should not write laws about historical facts. "Black pages can be
found in the history of any country, society or religion. The most
important is for the country to face its history and accept it."

NOBEL WINNER PAMUK POSTPONES UNIVERSITY LECTURE

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 14 2006

Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was announced as the winner of the
2006 Nobel Prize in literature, has put off a lecture he was scheduled
to give at the University of Minnesota on Monday.

"Orhan Pamuk … must postpone his trip to the University of Minnesota
until later in the year because of all the notoriety surrounding the
announcement of the prize," according to a statement posted on the
official web site of the university, where he was going to give a
lecture on Turkish literature.

The lecture entitled "On Making the Other Talk" was originally
scheduled to be held at the Cowles Auditorium in the Minneapolis
campus of the university.

The Arsham and Charlotte Ohanessian Chair in CLA,the Institute for
Advanced Study, the Institute for Global Studies and the Center for
Holocaust and Genocide Studies are the co-sponsors of the lecture.

On Oct. 12, Pamuk, arguably Turkey’s most renowned contemporary writer,
was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in literature, becoming the first
Turk to claim the most prestigious award in the world.

However, some claim that politics was involved in the decision of
the Nobel jury, since Pamuk won the prize on the same day as the
French National Assembly adopted a bill criminalizing the denial of
the so-called Armenian genocide.

In October 2005, Pamuk said in an interview with a Swiss newspaper
that one million Armenians and thirty thousand Kurds had been killed
in Turkey and that nobody had the courage to talk about it except
him. He then faced a trial in Istanbul last December for insulting
Turkishness, but the court eventually dropped the charges.

Poochigian, Brown vary on goals
Candidates differ in their view of state attorney general’s role,
personal objectives.
By E.J. Schultz
Fresno Bee Capitol Bureau

October 15, SACRAMENTO

2006 Strip away the inflammatory rhetoric, the attack ads and the
hyped-up allegations surrounding the campaign for state attorney
general, and a real choice emerges.

Chuck Poochigian, a Republican state senator from Fresno, views the
position as the state’s "top cop" and vows to use the office to defend
the death penalty and to push for greater use of DNA in solving
crimes.

Jerry Brown, the Democratic mayor of Oakland and former governor, says
his "vast experience" will help him use the office to protect the
environment, control assault weapons and give good legal advice to
state agencies.

Brown, a three-time presidential candidate and son of a former
governor, is the favorite in the race. He has a double-digit lead in
most polls and had $5 million campaign cash on hand as of Sept. 30,
compared with Poochigian’s $1.7 million.

Poochigian has tried to gain ground by running an aggressive, dogged
campaign with a tough-on-crime message.

"I’m running for attorney general to bring a fresh approach and
aggressive action against the criminal element in society," he said
during a recent debate.

He has pounded Brown’s record as mayor and governor, suggesting Brown
that who in the past has made public statements criticizing the
penalty death is not committed to capital punishment.

He also cites Oakland’s rising homicide rate, saying that Brown is
partly to blame.

Brown returns the fire by pointing to Poochigian’s environmental
voting record, which conservationist groups criticize.

And he defends his record as mayor of Oakland by saying it has given
him hands-on experience fighting crime.

"I talk to felons virtually every day and I know what is needed," he
said at the debate, hosted Oct. 5 by the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I’m running for attorney general because I want to bring some common
sense and a practical approach to that office."

For Brown, who served as governor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a
win would mark a return to the statewide political stage.

The 68-year-old says he would go back to Sacramento as a "seasoned
statesman: wiser, battle tested."

Brown says his eight-year run as Oakland mayor has given him a better
appreciation for law enforcement.

He lives in a tough neighborhood downtown and says the experience has
been invaluable.

"You get kind of a sense, wow, we better have a strong police
department," he said in an interview.

"I’m going to be a much tougher attorney general than if I had run 30
years ago, without question."

As attorney general he says he would form "strike forces" to help
local police departments fight crime.

He also vows to defend stem cell research funding laws endorsed by
voters under Proposition 71.

Brown says he won’t let his personal views affect enforcement of the
death penalty, much like Poochigian, who is anti-abortion, says he
would defend abortion rights laws.

Poochigian, 57, who grew up on a Fresno County farm, made his mark in
the Legislature by carrying the 2004 workers compensation overhaul
bill credited with saving employers billions of dollars.

He has written many crime bills, recently focusing on strengthening
identity theft laws.

He speaks passionately about upholding strong laws sentencing such as
the state’s three law strikes and says he would use the attorney
general office to "more efficiently" process death penalty cases.

The attorney general is the lead prosecutor on death penalty appeals.

Other responsibilities include serving as legal counsel to state
agencies, safeguarding the state’s natural resources, preventing
fraudulent business practices and enforcing gun control and gambling
laws.

As head of the Department of Justice, the attorney general oversees
5,000 lawyers, peace officers and civil servants.

In legal circles, there is a debate over how aggressive the attorney
general should be, especially when it comes to corporate and consumer
protection lawsuits.

Tort reform organizations deplore the "activist" model made famous by
the likes of New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, who used the
job to take on Wall Street.

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has shown his own activist
streak.

For instance, he recently filed a lawsuit against automakers, charging
that vehicle emissions contribute significantly to global warming.

Poochigian, in a statement, called that lawsuit the "wrong approach
and quite troubling."

Brown spokesman Ace Smith said Brown believes that it’s "way too
complex litigation to be taking political positions on it before you
actually spend a huge amount of time reviewing it."

Both candidates say they would be careful in how they wield power.

Brown said he is not interested in filing suits to get attention.

"I’m not interested in headline grabbing," he said.

Some politicians use the job as a stepping stone for a run for
governor, he said, but "I’m not running for governor."

Yet he appears ready to assume a high-profile role in environmental
enforcement.

For instance, he said during the debate that he wants to "staff up"
state agencies to "beat down challenges" to the state’s new global
warming law, which caps greenhouse emissions.

The law, signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger last month, worries some farm
and business groups who fear costly regulations.

Poochigian, who voted against the global warming bill, has a solid
reputation among tort reform and business groups.

In the Legislature he routinely earned near perfect scores from the
California Chamber of Commerce.

Last year, he authored a bill aimed at reducing frivolous lawsuits
over Americans with Disabilities Act violations.

The bill, which was defeated in the Legislature, would have given
businesses time to fix violations before being sued for punitive
damages.

As attorney general, Poochigian promises to enforce the law whether
it’s "on the street corner or in a board room."

But "you can also anticipate that I’m going to be very thoughtful in
evaluating the facts that are brought to me and not willy-nilly be
filing lawsuits and issuing subpoenas for the sport of it."

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (916)
326-5541.

558103c.html

Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 13 2006

OSCE Mission revealed no cases of truce violation
13.10.2006 16:07

In compliance with an earlier agreement with NKR authorities, October
13 the OSCE Mission carried out planned monitoring at the contact
line of the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh near
Gyulistan settlement in Martakert region.
Press Service of NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that from
the positions of NKR Defense Army the monitoring group was headed by
the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk. The monitoring croup comprised Field Assistants of the
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Peter Kii
(Great Britain) and Gunter Folk (Germany). The monitoring was held
according to the preset schedule. Different from the Karabakh side,
the Azeri party did not lead the OSCE Mission to its front positions.
The monitoring revealed no cases of truce violation. From Karabakh
side the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of NKR
Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

Lauded abroad, hated at home
Orhan Pamuk’s Nobel prize will empower a voice of reason, writes books
editor Murray Waldren
14oct06

ORHAN Pamuk’s Nobel prize is a rare if conspicuous convergence of
political motivation with literary merit. In January, Turkey’s most
famous writer became an international cause celebre when he faced a
three-year jail termfor "insulting Turkishness"; yesterday he became
an international celebrity after the Swedish Academy awarded the
54-year-old novelist its 10 million kroner ($1.8million) prize for the
world’s richest and most celebrated literary award.

His win was also an uncommon victory for the bookies’ favourite.

There’s no doubting Pamuk’s literary skill. His works sing, often at
considerable length, with allusive harmonies, written as they are with
a respect for tradition but also with a thoroughly modern mien.

And while it is a mixed marriage, sometimes of inconvenience, between
East and West, his gaze is unblinking as he focuses on the friction
caused by clashing cultures, and between Islam and the secular world.

Equally, there is no doubting the political imperative behind his
crowning as Nobel laureate. Western commentators have fallen over
themselves to praise the decision as a triumph for freedom of speech,
for laudable literature and as an eminent accomplishment for Turkey.

(The Wall Street Journal, however, suggests the award may be better
named the Nobel prize for most provocative public intellectual.)

Pamuk earned Turkish government ire last year when he talked in an
interview with a Swiss newspaper about the World War I massacre of 1.5
million Armenians and the deaths of 30,000 Kurdish separatists in the
1980s and ’90s.

Ultra-nationalists in Turkey persecuted him and he was soon prosecuted
under the Turkish penal code for "insulting Turkishness, the republic
and state institutions". Although the charges were dropped as a
demonstration of the social progress needed for membership in the
European Union, the law remains on the books.

In New York where he has been working and studying incognito at
Columbia University, Pamuk refused to answer political questions after
his win was announced, but he did suggest it would raise the
international profile of Turkish literature: "This will lead the world
to review Turkish culture as a culture of peace," he said.

Others are less sanguine, suggesting the West would be more inclined
these days to view with favour this week’s vote in the French National
Assembly that sought to make it a criminal undertaking for anyone to
deny that Armenians experienced genocide in Turkey in 1915.

Pamuk was born into a Westernised, well-off secular family in Istanbul
and, although not a practising Muslim, he has often lamented the
spiritual void created in Turkish society by modernisation. The
dilemmas and dichotomies of his, and Turkey’s, mixed identity are
crucial to his books. He has said that he is "the servant of the grand
art of the novel, and in that sense I am European", but he has also
said that he looks through "my Turkish window and I try to breathe
everything in from there". That, he says, "is what goes into my
novels".

In their citation, the Nobel judges praised Pamuk for "enlarging the
roots of the contemporary novel" through his East-West links. And
certainly, as the pre-eminent novelist in the Muslim world with a
Western readership, he delivers a vision of a free Muslim society
where space exists for conservatives, nationalists and the Westernised
alike.

Pamuk had already won the world’s richest literary prize for a single
novel- the Nobel is awarded for a body of work – after My Name is Red
picked up the Impac Dublin Literary Award. A quasi-murder mystery set
in 16th-century Istanbul, it broke him into Western consciousness and
led to interest in his earlier novels, The White Castle and Snow.

His most recent publication was not a novel but a memoir cum
meditation on his native city, Istanbul.

Yet the tone of all his work is essentially one of exile, and morose,
as if at heart he understands that his dream of a liberal society is
unobtainable.

And as much as he is loved by readers, he is also reviled by
opponents. The Left regularly claims he has sold out to Europe, the
Right criticises him for attacking human rights abuse, hardline
Muslims are incensed by what they see as his portrayal of them as
killers.

It is unusual for a literary award to appear noble in intention:
literary prizes, after all, should be awarded for literary worth. But
it can’t be denied that if literary worth also empowers a voice of
vision and reason, it is a script worth writing.

© The Australian

ROMANIAN PRESIDENT: ROMANIA READY TO ASSIST TO ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT WITHIN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS
Author: S. Aghayeva

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 12 2006

Romania is ready to render it assistance in the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict settlement within international legal norms, Romania`s
President Traian Besesku told today during the ceremony of presentation
of the Honourary Doctor of the Baku State University to him, Trend
reports referring to "Lider TV".

Addressing the teachers and professors of the university, the Romanian
President highly appreciated cooperation between the two countries. He
informed the participants of the meeting about priorities of the
Romanian policy. According to him, it is aimed at cooperation with
the Caspian and Black Sea regions. He called Azerbaijan a state
with the highest potential in the region. "Romania ensures Europe`s
energy security and is rich in energy resources, but, nevertheless,
Azerbaijan`s energy reserves and their transit to Europe are of a
great importance to us", told the Romanian President.

He also marked Azerbaijan`s achievements the country reached in the
sphere of energy security.

The Romanian President also underlined the importance of establishment
of peace and stability in the region and the conflicts settlement.

Mr. Basesku also visited the Heydar Aliyev Fund today where he got
acquainted with the activity of National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar
Aliyev.

NA CHAIRMAN TIGRAN TOROSYAN RECEIVED COE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL AFFAIRS

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 11 2006

October 11 Speaker of RA National Assembly Tigran Torosyan received
the delegation headed by Guy de Vel, Director of the Legal Affairs
of the Council of Europe. The meeting was attended by Special
Representative of CoE Secretary General Bojana Urumova and the
Permanent Representative of Armenia to PACE, Ambassador Christian
Ter-Stepanyan.

During the meeting NA Chairman Tigran Torosyan informed about the
changes implemented in the legislation after the Constitutional
Referendum Thanking the NA Speaker for productive cooperation with
the Council of Europe and expressing willingness to continue this
collaboration, Guy de Vel noted that a great work has been done in the
direction of accomplishment of obligations, important laws have been
adopted in regard to the democratic development of Armenia, which
have already been submitted for expert consideration. The parties
emphasized the importance of reforms in the court system and adoption
of the Judicial Code. With appreciation Mr. Guy de Vel referred to
the discussions with Venice Commission experts on the Electoral Code.

Reference was made to the Law on Yerevan and other questions of
mutual importance.

BASESCU: "I AM VISITING AZERBAIJAN NOT WITH THE AIM OF DISCUSSING PROBLEMS, AS THERE ARE NONE"

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 10 2006

President of Romania Trajan Besescu’s exclusive interview to APA

– How do you appreciate the current relations between Azerbaijan
and Romania and what is your expectation for the forthcoming visit
to Azerbaijan?

– Romania and Azerbaijan have very good ties, covering all the fields
of bilateral cooperation, be they political, diplomatic, economic,
military or cultural. Of course, I believe there are many other issues
that our countries can cooperate on, such as bringing the bilateral
relations to the level of the political ones; however, the general
look is satisfactory.

My official visit to Baku is a sign of friendship from Romania, as
a neighbor country, to the Republic of Azerbaijan and its inhabitants.

I am visiting the Capital of Azerbaijan not with the aim of discussing
problems, as there are none, but to make the Baku authorities and
President Aliyev a political offer, in the spirit of friendship and
total openness: we would like to encourage Azerbaijan’s rapprochement
to the European and Euro-Atlantic structures, to support the
democratization internal efforts, the peaceful solving of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, according to international law principles
and norms, and also, generally, to offer a token of our wish and
political will of strengthening the bilateral ties at all levels.

– Presidents of Romania and Azerbaijan have to date signed some 20
documents within various official visits. Do you intend to sign any
documents during this visit?

– During my official visit, various documents will be signed, among
which: The Amending Protocol of the Agreement between the Government
of Romania and the Government of Republic of Azerbaijan on mutual
promotion and protection of investments; The Amending Protocol of
the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government
of Republic of Azerbaijan on trade and economic relations and
technical and scientific cooperation; Cooperation Memorandum between
the Public Finance Ministry Romanian and Tax Ministry of Azerbaijan;
The Joint Political Statement that I will sign together with President
Aliyev. This statement is extremely significant for the reiteration of
our mutual political will of consolidating ties between our countries.

– Azerbaijan signed an agreement in the sphere of energy with Ukraine
which envisages transferring the Caspian oil through Odessa-Brodi
pipeline. But, Romania proposed delivery of the Caspian oil to
Constanta port. Will this offer be in agenda again?

– With regard to hydrocarbons transport from the Caspian area
to Europe, we salute the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline, and soon, of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas-duct, that Romania
will benefit from, as well.

In relation to the Odessa-Brodi pipeline route and not only, I will
always plead for using the transport or transit capacities of the
Constanta port. Romania can be an entrance gate for Caspian gas and
oil into Europe and can be used as a transit country to Western Europe.

Otherwise, Europe energy’s security is an extremely important issue,
against the background of a significant increase of energy resources
demand; as an oil and natural gas importer, Romania is interested
in finding new import sources and alternative routes of hydrocarbons
transport.

Moreover, we are interested in identifying ways for ensuring the
feasability of Nabucco project. Azerbaijan can play an important part
as a secure transit country and supplier for this pipeline.

– Besides energy, in what spheres is Azerbaijan attractive for Romania?

– In our opinion, all fields are or can be interesting, in view
of cooperation between states that are, both, on an upwards track
of economic development. Romania is particularly interested in
strengthening our economic ties, as our trade exchange volume is quite
high – over 120 Million Dollars in 2005. The balance is unfavorable
to Romania; therefore, we would like to identify ways to increase our
export to Azerbaijan. Moreover, our interest also covers transport
cooperation; the first steps have already been made, in relation
to Black Sea and Danube merchandise transport from and to Caucasus
and Europe.

In my opinion, economic ties between our countries are in full
expansion. I believe that the Romanian part needs to make serious
efforts in order to re-establish the commercial balance, with a view
to increasing the exports to Azerbaijan. Moreover, I believe the
trade exchange volume – around 120 million dollars, is far below
the potential of our economies, that are going through a period of
significant increase. I am certain that the competent authorities
will find the ways of diversifying and strengthen the economic ties.

After its EU accession, Romania could become more interesting for
the Azeri business people, as an entrance gate for merchandise to
the European space.

– Azerbaijan and Romania enjoy military cooperation. Does Romania,
as a NATO state, intend to enlarge this cooperation?

– Firstly, I would like to congratulate Republic of Azerbaijan for
engaging in the Individual Action Plan with NATO. With regard to
your question, we would like to express our full availability to
support you in enforcing the plan, by sharing our experience in
preparing for the NATO accession. There already is a significant
legal frame in the field (cooperation agreement between the defense
ministries, agreement on cooperation in the military education field,
agreement on technical-military cooperation, agreement on protection
of mutually delivered military information); this framework and IPAP
will contribute to the strengthening of cooperation.

– Romania is one of the countries interested in GUAM. When can
Romania’s integration to GUAM come true?

– Romania’s interest for eastern neighborhood evolution is a natural
attitude of a state that is interested in supporting the objective
of the Euro-Atlantic cooperation that it is part of: expanding the
area of stability, security and prosperity, beyond EU and NATO borders.

This year, we saluted the transformation of GUAM into an international
organization – Organization for Democratization and Economic
Development – GUAM.

I believe that the regional structure ODED-GUAM is particularly
important for fighting the new threats to European security.

Cooperation between Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Republic of
Moldova in fields such as enhancing the security climate, creating a
free-trade area, cooperation in the field of hydrocarbons transport
and transit, based on projects such as TRACECA and INOGATE is extremely
important.

I would like to salute the interest of GUAM states for the frozen
conflicts that are sources of instability for the region and
burning points with a high potential of spreading the insecurity
beyond their borders. There is a need for energetic measures and
joint cooperation plans of fighting these threats. To this end, I
would like to congratulate the GUAM member states for their recent UN
General Assembly initiative of promoting a resolution on the so-called
~Dfrozen conflicts" that have been fairly enough called ~Dprotracted
conflicts". I would like to remind you that Romania has been one of
the supporters of the resolution project.

I do not believe that we should consider the possibility of Romania’s
accession to GUAM. However, given that the GUAM region is adjacent
to the geographical space that Romania is part of , I can say that
we will involve actively in view of substantiating an efficient
cooperation between GUAM member-states, as we have already proven
within the UN framework.

– Romania is one step far from the EU membership. How do you value
Azerbaijan’s perspectives for accession to this organization? How
can you help Azerbaijan in this way?

– Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Republic of Azerbaijan’s
leadership, and to personally congratulate President Aliyev for the
official recognition of Azerbaijan’s European aspirations by the
European Commission. Moreover, I am expressing my hope that EU and
Azerbaijan negotiations on the Individual Action Plan, part of the
European Neighborhood Policy, will be concluded during the term of
Finnish chairmanship.

We believe the development of structural cooperation ties between EU
and Azerbaijan, part of the New European Neighborhood Policy (ENP),
and Romania’s status of a future EU member-state can complement and
strengthen the bilateral ties between Romania and Azerbaijan.

We are expressing our full availability to share the know-how that we
acquired in the period of pre-adhesion to Euro-Atlantic and European
structures. We are expressing our availability to initiate contacts at
the level of competent ministries. I am certain that, upon the wish
expressed by the Baku authorities, the Romanian part will respond
efficiently, presenting a concrete offer concerning the training of
young specialists.

– How did you Moldova find the referendum in Transdnistria?

– Besides officially disapproving the conflict, Romania reiterated the
support for strengthening the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of Republic of Moldova, as fundamental principles in solving the
Transdnistria conflicts and multilaterally supported Republic of
Moldova’s efforts to obtain a public disapproval of the referendum.

I would like to underline that the referendum is illegal, according
to international law and Republic of Moldova constitutional law and,
subsequently, its results have no political or legal relevance.

I believe that the referendum has strict political purposes,
particularly, undermining the international community efforts for
solving the conflict and resumption of the 5+2 negotiations. To this
end, I believe that Tiraspol’s propensity for unilateral measures
(as this is not the first referendum organized by them) has to be
unanimously and firmly disapproved by the international community.