[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 99 (Thursday, July 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN SUPPORT OF MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT DECLARATION ON THE CURRENT SITUATION 
            OF THE TRANSNISTRIAN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2013

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the peaceful 
reintegration of the young and aspiring Republic of Moldova. I also 
want to acknowledge my colleagues Reps. David Price, Rep. Eliot Engel, 
Rep. William Keating, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rep. Mark Meadows, Rep. 
Diaz-Balart, Rep. Alcee Hastings, Rep. Patrick McHenry, who have agreed 
to associate themselves with this statement.
  Most importantly, we support the recent conclusion of negotiations 
between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union on Moldova's 
Association Agreement, held in Luxembourg on July 25, 2013. We welcome 
the progress instituted by Prime Minister Julie Leanca and the Moldovan 
government in strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of 
law, as well as in preparing for economic and political association 
with the European Union.
  As the goals and promotion of values of the Eastern Partnership are 
of utmost importance to U.S. strategic policy, we encourage Moldova to 
remain united in its continued focus on the domestic reforms integral 
to eventual European Union accession. We hope that the forthcoming EU 
Summit in Vilnius in November will result in an opportunity to reaffirm 
Moldova's EU aspirations, and call on the U.S. State Department to 
assist in every aspect of this challenging transition. Doing so affirms 
the United States' commitment to our allies in this region.
  While encouraged by Moldova's increasing harmonization with EU norms 
and standards--as evidenced by its recent agreement on the Deep and 
Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement as part of the European Union's 
Association Agreement--Moldova is being forced to fight for its own 
internationally recognized sovereign, independent and territorial 
integrity.
  We are concerned with the unilateral set of actions undertaken by the 
self-proclaimed leaders of the breakaway region of Transnistria, who 
recently launched provocative actions by adopting the so-called ``legal 
act on the border.'' These unilateral actions violate Moldova's 
sovereignty, as the leadership of Transnistria has claimed territories 
that are fully in the control of the Republic of Moldova. We are also 
concerned by recent entreaties by the leadership in Transnistria--
entreaties that threaten Moldova's territorial integrity and European 
Union accession prospects. These actions undermine the July 1992 
ceasefire as well as the ``5+2'' conflict settlement process. We call 
on the U.S. State Department to secure a fair and democratic settlement 
process while maintaining Moldova's independence and sovereignty.
  Today, we stand in support of the Moldovan Parliament's Declaration 
on the Current Situation of the Transnistrean Conflict Settlement 
Process, adopted consensually on June 21, 2013, and urge leaders of the 
self-proclaimed Transnistria, as well as all parties involved in 5+2 
negotiation process, to conclude negotiations on the legal status of 
the Transnistrian region and its rightful role in the Republic of 
Moldova. Only a legal status agreed upon through the 5+2 framework will 
prevent further escalation of conflict. At the same time, we firmly 
recognize the need to finalize the withdrawal of Russian troops and 
munitions from the region, according to its internationally recognized 
obligations assumed at the 1999 summit of the Organization for Security 
Cooperation in Europe.
  We call on the United States and the international community to take 
all the diplomatic steps possible to prevent further escalation of 
conflict, protect Moldova's European Union accession aspirations, 
resume talks on the political status of Transnistria and ensure the 
reintegration of a sovereign and independent Moldova.

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