CHISINAU. March 2 (Interfax) - The Moldovan authorities will not allow the conflict in Transdniestria to resume, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said at a rally on Thursday marking the 31st anniversary of the start of the armed conflict on the Dniestr River.
"We will continue making efforts to maintain peace in the country in order to prevent any escalation of the situation around the Transdniestrian region. We will not allow hotheads to turn Transdniestria into an arena for a new armed conflict," Sandu said.
"The memory of the fallen people on the Dniestr River is not forgotten 31 years after the start of the conflict [...] We cannot forget the price that society paid to enable Moldova to continue its path toward independence, freedom and peace [...] We did not want war then and do not want it now. We are a peace-loving nation, and we are building a state where there is a place for everyone. Our efforts are now focused on unifying all citizens regardless of which side of the Dniestr River they live on," she said.
"There is still a great deal to do to end disagreements that stem from the 1992 hostilities, but we have managed to maintain peace and quiet in the country over all these years," the president said.
The armed conflict on the Dniestr River broke out on March 2, 1992 following a clash in the city of Dubasari between Transdniestrian and Moldovan policemen. The conflict continued for several months, peaking in June 1992. Fighting stopped on July 21, 1992 after the Moldovan and Russian presidents signed an agreement outlining the principles of a peaceful solution to the Transdniestrian conflict. Under this document, Russia, Moldova and Transdniestria each have 300-400 peacekeepers in the security zone established on the banks of the Dniestr River.