CHISINAU. May 17 (Interfax) - The intention of the Russian contingent of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the security zone to conduct maneuvers, from May 17 to June 17, on the subject of a possibility of advancing armored vehicles from their current peacekeeping posts, is inappropriate, the Moldovan delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC) for the Transdniestria peace process said.
"A notice about the maneuvers was received by the Joint military command on Thursday, hours after the end of a JCC meeting which did not discuss this topic," the delegation said in a statement.
"These maneuvers have not received JCC approval. The demonstrative and repeated conduct of such actions not coordinated [with Moldova] is further evidence of the gross violation of the principles of the peacekeeping mission on the Dniester [river]," Chisinau's representatives said.
They warned "about potential undesirable consequences of such provocative acts" and urged all members of the Joint peacekeeping forces "not to carry out [their plans] in order to avoid destabilizing the situation in the security zone."
Last month the Moldovan government's reintegration bureau described an exercise conducted by the Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria on April 23 as provocative.
The JCC is a coordinating body in the security zone. It comprises a military command which controls the trilateral peacekeeping forces from Moldova, Russia and Transdniestria.
The commission was formed in accordance with a Moldovan-Russian Agreement on Principles of Peaceful Settlement of the Military Conflict in the Transnistrian Region, which was signed by the two countries' presidents on July 21, 1992. The document stipulated an introduction of peacekeepers to the region. At present, Moldova, Russia and Transdniestria each have between 350 and 400 peacekeepers there. The JCC has three respective co-chairmen.
The JCC meets every Thursday; all decisions are taken by consensus.