Activists of self-proclaimed Dnestr region protest against new customs rules introduced by Ukraine at Pervomaisk-Kuchurgan customs office.
Photo: ITAR-TASS
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Dnestr Region Stages Border Rallies
The day and night rallies seem never ending on border of Ukraine and Moldova's self-proclaimed separatist Dnestr region, while the latter is protesting against new customs procedures introduced by Kiev past week.
Backed up by Moscow, the Dnestr region lashed out at Ukraine blaming on it violation of practice of the international intermediary and pulled out from negotiations on the conflict settlement in the next move.
The new customs procedures are the only way to solve that longstanding conflict, spokesmen of Kiev, Chisinau and Washington said, regarding the border clashes artificial.
The brawl sparkled in the wake of past year’s agreement of Kiev and Chisinau, whereby no goods of the Dnestr region would ever cross border unless they are cleared at Moldova’s customs.
The mass riots are staged at the biggest international customs points – Novye Goyany-Platonovo and Pervomaisk-Kuchurgan. The cargo flow ran dry in late past week there. Dozens of heavy trucks that left the Dnestr region jammed on border, as the customs clearance of their goods is not in line with the new procedures. The trucks can go back of course, but it will mean paying re-export charges to customs officers of the Dnestr region.
By joining blockade, Ukraine transforms from the guarantor-state to a party to the conflict. These conditions mean the end of the talks, said Igor Smirnov, president of the Dnestr region, when announcing withdrawal from the conflict-settlement negotiations.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 09, 2006
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