CHISINAU. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Incumbent Moldovan President Igor Dodon has warned President-elect Maia Sandu against making harsh statements on pulling Russian forces out of Transdniestria but supported the call for withdrawing Russian weapons and ammunition from the region.
In the course of his traditional program, "President Igor Dodon Answers," on Friday, he commented on the statement by Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky who called for enlarging the Russian forces stationed in the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, aka Transdniestria.
"I have seen those statements. I have no wish to comments on statements made by foreign politicians but I am asking Moldovan politicians to abstain from harsh remarks. One should be careful with one's statements, especially if the one is the chief of state. I understand that she [Moldovan President-elect Maia Sandu] might still need time to sort things out. As I can see, she has recently understood what the OGRF (Operational Group of Russian Forces) is and what the peacekeepers are," Dodon said.
"These are different things," and there are two types of Russian forces in Moldova, including those "protecting weapons and ammunition that must be withdrawn when the ammunition is gone," and "the peacekeepers, including Russians, Moldovans, Ukrainians, and the OSCE. They have the international mandate. And they should be left alone," he said.
Dodon reiterated the call for pulling Russian weapons and ammunition out of Transdniestria.
"I started that process. Two years ago, I had a discussion with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Chisinau. These things should be withdrawn and made final. There is a new president, let her continue the dialogue. And be very careful with statements," Dodon said.
During her first press conference as the president-elect, Sandu called for pulling the Operational Group of Russian Forces out of Transdniestria and for discussing the transformation of the peacekeeping operation into an OSCE-led international civilian mission.