Factbox - Where is Transdniestria?

Reuters    Translate This Article
21 April 2008

(Reuters) - Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and the leader of its separatist Transdniestria region, Igor Smirnov, met this month for the first time in six years to discuss prospects for resolving one of the former Soviet Union's 'frozen conflicts'.

Here are a few facts about Transdniestria

• A tiny sliver of land on the Dnestr river, Transdniestria broke away from Moldova in September 1990. The region is dominated by Slavs, who pressed for independence on fears that Moldova's Romanian-speaking majority would one day become part of Romania to the south as it was before World War Two.

• The region's Russian-speaking hardliners fought a brief war with Moldova in 1992 and hundreds were killed on both sides before Russian troops stopped the fighting. About 1,200 Russian soldiers remain and guard some 20,000 tonnes of Soviet-era weaponry and ammunition.

• Subsequent referendums have produced big majorities for independence and for joining Russia one day. Mediation led by the 56-nation Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe has made little progress and talks were halted in 2006. Officials say Russia had sought the latest meeting between the two leaders.

• Transdniestria is home to 550,000 of Moldova's 4.1 million residents and occupies one-eighth of its territory. But 40 percent of the country's industrial might lies within it. Mostly Russian private investors own large industrial companies, which include a steel plant and hydroelectric station.

• Moldova rejected a proposal in 2003 to create a federal state and continues to offer Transdniestria broad autonomy. Smirnov insists on independence and wants Russian troops to stay, though officials say a federal solution would be acceptable.

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)

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