EU diplomats ‘not sure’ about sending troops to Moldova

Date:24/07/03

By Dana Spinant and David Cronin

MEMBER states agree that the EU should "do more" about bringing stability to Moldova, a nest of ethnic conflict and organized crime at the Union's door, but are not sure that sending troops to the former Soviet republic is the best option, officials told European Voice.

EU states' diplomats discussed on Tuesday (22 July) the possibility of sending a peacekeeping force to Moldova, following a suggestion by the Netherlands, which holds the rotating presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The diplomats decided that a study on potential roles for the Union in Moldova should be drawn up by the Council of Ministers' secretariat by 5 September. Insiders say it will examine a variety of options. These will include the possibility of the EU undertaking a peacekeeping mission but will also look at whether alternative means of assistance, such as greater economic aid, could be used to bring stability to the country.

There was general agreement among diplomats at the EU's Political and Security Committee that the Union should step up its action to bring stability to the country, after a decade-long conflict between Moldovans and the Russian minority in the Trans-Dniester region. Once Romania joins the Union, in 2007, Moldova will share a border with the EU.

However, a number of member states expressed doubts that the best way to do that was the military option.

"Certain states do not agree 100 % with the [Dutch] proposal," one European Commission official said. "Everybody agreed that we must do more, but we should not focus exclusively on the military option. There was little enthusiasm for a precipitated military operation."

The EU's involvement in Moldova is likely to test the Union's ties with Russia, which still has about 2,600 troops in Trans-Dniester, the mostly Russian-speaking region of Moldova.

EU diplomats have expressed their doubts about sending peacekeeping forces to Moldova despite their commitment to ensuring stability in the region.