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| Moldova, Transdniestr welcome Russian peace plan proposal
MOSCOW, Nov 18 (AFP) - Moldova Tuesday welcomed a plan proposed by Russia settle the simmering conflict between Chisinau and its breakaway region of Transdniestr. The plan "is a realistic compromise scheme to overcome the territorial, political and economic division of the state," President Vladimir Voronin said, as quoted by the Interfax news agency. BizVantage – Personalized business, investment or technology Intelligence: the ultimate advantage. The plan calls for the impoverished former Soviet republic to become a federation, in which the regions of Transdniestr and Gagauzia would be granted special status. The new nation would be demilitarized and Russian would be declared the official language alongside Romanian. The head of Transdniestr, Igor Smirnov, said he believed the plan could be "an impulse towards recognizing Transdniestr as a state," according to RIA-Novosti news agency. Transdniestr, a predominantly Russian-speaking region, unilateraly declared independence from Moldova in 1991, then engaged in armed conflict with Romanian-speaking Moldovans between 1991 and 1992, with the loss of some 700 lives. On Monday, Russia presented its peace plan to Moldova and Transdniestr, as well as to fellow mediators in the conflict Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The plan calls for the country to vote on a new constitution in October 2004 and hold parliamentary and presidential elections in 2005. To become effective, it needs approval by Moldovan and Transdniestr's presidents and parliaments. yad-lpt/tm Moldova-OSCE-Russia-Transdniestr
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