“OLVIA-PRESS”
MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE: A NEW COLD SNAP
EXPRESS COMMENT OF THE AGENCY “OLVIA-PRESS”
The started September will be evidently signified with new escalation of
relationship between Moldova and Ukraine. Serious contradictions in the trade
domain are the reason of the next cold snap. As Kishinev mass media inform,
Ukraine have recently introduced limitations for import of Moldavian pork and
sugar. Moldova is getting ready to do the same with respect to Ukrainian
producers.
The situation gradually makes us recall December 2001, when
Moldavian-Ukrainian controversies reached the climax and almost turned into a
“virtual war”. To all appearances, it may happen again today. The Moldavian
side already gives hints as if “it were totally impossible to resolve the
problem diplomatically” with the Ukraine, that “all negotiations were and will
be futile” and so on.
So what’s the matter? May Moldova not be aspiring to diplomatic
resolution of the trade problem? It is easy to believe it, if we remember
events of late 2001. Then the Moldavian government had all possibilities for
calmed resolution of the ‘custom issue’ but it preferred the tough
confrontation with Kiev, which did not want to violate its laws, and permit
Moldavian customers enter the Ukrainian territory. As known, the clinch had
been lasting for three times.
Aggressive behavior towards neighbors is a typical feature of the
foreign policy course of Moldova under presidency of Vladimir Voronin. The
Moldavian president and the RM ministry of foreign affairs undoubtedly see a
certain advantage for them. It may be twice. On the one hand, Moldova
manifesting again Ukraine and Romania aspires to show its loyalty, “fidelity”
to Russia. Vladimir Voronin tries to enforce his image of the “Friend of
Putin”.
On the other hand, constant actions of the RM with respects to
neighboring countries have evident ‘oil’ grounds. For recent 2 years, Moldova
and Ukraine have been actively fighting for the role of the chief oil ‘bridge
between Orient and Occident’. Each of the countries has the respective
infrastructure for transit of oil: in Moldova, it is the terminal of
Giurgiuleshty being under construction, in Ukraine, there are ports of Reni and
Iliichiovsk.
Today Vladimir Voronin, of course, wants the Central Asia ‘black gold’
to be transported to Europe only via Giurgiuleshty. What is needed to do for
that? The answer is obvious: to weaken maximally the significance of Ukrainian
ports, to reduce their attractiveness before eyes of oil exporters. Attempts of
Moldavian foreign policy are directed namely to that now.
Judging by all facts, conflicts between Moldova and Ukraine are serious
and for a long time. It is quite possible that they have not reached their
climax yet. Extreme escalation of relationship between the two countries will
evidently occur when the terminal of Giurgiuleshty is fully constructed. Major
events are be continued. The present trade war (which today just adds fuel to
the fire) is obviously a simple prelude to them.